Call Me Again
by Brigid the Fae
Summary: <html><head></head>Soul mates, magic, and inquisitively-manipulative family members. What sounds like a romantic comedy cannot truly begin until a ring is destroyed, but whoever said the former would be easy? Join Ithilwen in an extended look at her journey from misplaced to middle-earth and beyond.</html>
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Welcome to the new-and-improved version of Call Me Maybe! Yes, it is the same story. However, it will be an 'extended cut', where I've cleaned up errors in spelling, consistency, etc., along with expanding on and adding in new scenes!

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Just as my fellow classmates know all too well, the horrors of the chicken tender addiction in the cafeteria is a memory we will carry for years to come." The president of the student government couldn't suppress the grin as the crowd of graduates laughed. "It is a minuscule detail in our time here, but we can honestly say that there have been many fond memories shared in that space. That is what I want you to reflect on. Our futures are unclear and the very idea of the real world is terrifying, but you know what? You - each one of you - can do it. Whether you came just out of high school or have been in the workforce most of your life, you took the first leap into a new future when you applied to this school..."

The congregation seated under the bright sunlight shivered as a crisp breeze blew by, shifting their dark robes. The fall foliage of the environment provided a serene backdrop for the occasion. Despite the passing breeze, the weather could not have been more suitable for the college graduation ceremony.

Tucked within the crown of soon-to-be alumni sat a young woman cradling the mounted diploma within her hands. Looking down from the speaker currently on stage, she flipped open the padded case.

'Burgess College…Burgess, Virginia…This certifies that Ithilwen Haldiriel, upon recommendation of the Faculty and by the authority of the Board of Education is awarded this Bachelor in Fine Arts Diploma…Given at Burgess, Virginia, this twenty fifth day of October, 2013.'

She smiled to herself in satisfaction. Four years of hard work had led to this moment. She knew her mother and sister were sitting among the guests. If it were not for their encouragement, she might not have enrolled at all.

"Will the students please rise?" the student government president requested. A shuffle of feet and chairs shifting led him to pause briefly. "As the Student President of Burgess College, and on behalf of the faculty and staff, I am proud to announce the Burgess Class of 2013! Congratulations guys, we did it!" Applause broke out as soon as he finished, and a mass of black mortarboards took their traditional flight through the air.

* * *

><p>"Oh my baby graduated!" Morwen cooed, pulling her daughter into a tight hug and squeezing the girl for all it was worth. "I am so proud of you!" Being held so tightly, Ithilwen could only make squeaking noises in response.<p>

"And with honors too!" came another voice that Ithilwen recognized as her adopted sibling, Fiona. Fiona was wearing a simple dress and wedges, her strawberry blond hair pulled back with a clip. Once released from the iron clad grasp, Ithilwen looked at her mother. She was wearing an elegant dress that Ithilwen thought resembled some of the garments that she wore before the 'accident'.

"I wish your adar was here," her mother said, "He would be so proud to have seen you walk across that stage."

Ithilwen grew sad, as did the other two at the mention of the absent father, but she continued to smile at her mother. "I know," she said.

"Well, I've got the entire ceremony on video, and Mom got pictures too, so when he does show up, he can still see you walk!" Fiona assured her. Ithilwen smiled more at this, as the trio took some final pictures around the campus before making their way to their car to leave. A celebratory graduation lunch was in order, and Ithilwen's stomach refused to let itself go unacknowledged any longer.

The topic of Ithilwen's father was always a touchy subject, whether in public or private conversation between the three. In public, some assumed that he had become a "deadbeat" and walked out on the girls' mother when Ithilwen was very young. Morwen would say that he was simply "serving the country" when inquired, and would produce letters he had written her.

The truth was, Ithilwen and Morwen were not native to the state of Virginia, nor the country. It would only take one look at their pointed ears to see that neither were from this world at all. They were originally from Middle Earth, in the elven community of Lothlorien. Her father did serve their land, that part was true; as a young elleth she remembered hearing tales of his patrols along the borders. The letters her naneth would show friends were translated and forged from the originals she had on her person from when they had begun courting. Burgess was a small town that knew the ins and outs of its occupants lives almost exclusively, and it did not take its residents long to see that some of their newest residents were very different. It became a town secret through the generations, one that would be taken to the grave. But as fascinating as the idea of elves living amongst them, none dared to inquire further into the 'accident' that led them to this world in the first place.

Ithilwen had been but a small elleth, and she had very little memory of the accident, but it was fresh within her mother's memory. They were traveling through the woods on a journey to Rivendell from Lothlorien. Her mother cradled the young babe in her arm as she guided the horse along the path when she felt the crackle of energy permeate the air. The horse halted in its steps when it picked up on this disturbance, and in a flash, her mother was on the ground holding Ithilwen, their packs discarded when the horse reared back and tossed them. The horse, spooked by the change in the air, took off. Hindered by the presence of her small child and the packs, her mother searched frantically for her weapons as she felt a presence move in closer to their location. As she grabbed her sword to defend the two of them, she turned in time to witness a bright green light engulf the area…all evidence of their existence removed from the path.

When news reached Lothlorien of their disappearance, search parties were sent from both kingdoms to scour the last known locations for any signs or clues, only to return empty handed in defeat. This continued for years, but all searches were in vain. It was only the admission from the wizard Mithrandir that gave the people hope of their missing kin's survival.

Morwen had an inkling of a guess as to why they were attacked, still more than anyone involved in the search did back in Middle Earth. The woman knew that that bright green light was a sign of magic, but her knowledge of magic of that caliber lay with the only two wizards that she was familiar with. She highly doubted that Mithrandir would cast a spell to send her and Ithilwen away to another realm, so her mind set the blame to Saruman. This puzzled her, because she thought that the other white wizard was on the side of good… No matter now, though. She and Ithilwen were stuck in this realm until someone back in Middle Earth could find a spell to reach them and bring them back home.

Years, even centuries passed with no sign of returning, but she never gave up hope. She often dreamt of returning to Lothlorien with Ithilwen and resuming her life as it was meant to be. Each day she would wake up, realize that she was not there, but continue to rise each morning and go through the day as if she belonged among these people. It was all that they could do.

* * *

><p>In Middle Earth, a smaller congregation was formed for a less happy occasion. The small golden ring, the topic of the gathering, which sat on the center pedestal, was an ominous sign of unrest within their world. A verbal battle had already taken place within the group about what was to be done with the cursed object. It had taken the Halfling to settle the argument and volunteer to return the ring to its place of forging and destroy it once and for all.<p>

The Lord of Rivendell looked at the odd assortment of Men, Dwarf, Elf, Wizard, and Hobbits that had stepped forward to assist the Ringbearer. "Nine companions…" he murmured, then raised his voice, "…So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

"Great. Where are we going?"

To say that apprehension fell upon the Council at those words would be an understatement.

-x-x-x-x-x-

A/N: I decided to change up the graduation speech at the start; it just didn't feel right as I reread it. I think that was the biggest change in this chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

"Merry Christmas!" The collective greeting reached the three women as they walked in from the reindeer stables. Fiona was bundled up in her thickest clothes, but Ithilwen and Morwen did not seem phased by the frigid temperatures. It was a special occasion for all, despite the obvious holiday; another successful night was had by North, and the children of the world had received their Christmas wishes.

"It is good to see you," the man in red greeted. Flanking North were two yetis and a taller elf unlike the diminutive ankle-gnawers that strung themselves up with lights.

"Thank you for having us," Morwen said, bowing her head in acknowledgment of the Holiday Figure. "It is truly an honor to be invited to the North Pole."

North shrugged it off, not expecting the formality from the oldest woman. "We are glad to have you three. It isn't every day we have elves visit that are older than Bernard here!" Said elf sputtered uncharacteristically while Ithilwen and Fiona laughed. "These are my workers, Phil and Dyll. It is secret to success; yetis are much more efficient, but elves help where they can." Realizing his blunder at the youngest elleth's odd look, North began to backtrack. "I mean no offense, of course! You are very different from my elves."

At that moment, Ithilwen saw one licking a large cookie and had to suppress a laugh. "Now," he said, "How about I give tour of workshop?"

* * *

><p>After the tour was over, Morwen and North retired to his office to speak of their business, leaving Ithilwen, Fiona, and Bernard on their own in the workshop. Bernard led them to the kitchen for lunch, where the resident chef ushered them to a booth and took down their orders. Bernard looked over at Ithilwen, who was folding her napkin into random patterns.<p>

"I am sorry about what North said earlier," he told Ithilwen. "North... tends to forget. He is unlike any of the Santas that I've served in the past, that's for sure."

Ithilwen shook her head. "It is not what he said, Bernard. It is the whole matter of the situation that bothers me."

"You don't like it here?" Fiona asked.

"I do, but only for a few reasons, and two of those are you guys," she said, accepting the cup of cocoa that the yeti had handed her upon his return.

"What else do you like about it?" Bernard now asked.

Ithilwen snorted. "The question should be what it is that I don't like; I find that one an easier question to answer." She took a sip from the hot drink, savoring it as it slid down her throat before she continued. "A majority of the people are quite rude, and the different societies find more cause to go to war over insignificant reasons than to come to an agreement."

"But you have to admit the technology is a perk," Fiona cut in. While her mother and sister possessed skills that far passed some human's, she still had many moments where she had to walk them through the newest devices.

"The parts that I can understand, and that's only been with your assistance Fiona. It seems that no one cares about anyone truly anymore, and would rather correspond through technology rather than face to face or a letter. The world has become materialistic, and the trend of striving to have the best overshadows the will to do good for others. Lately it seems as if I have only seen the goodness in others come about in large numbers when there is an event that has occurred at a national level."

Bernard looked to Fiona. "She's got a point," to which the strawberry blond nodded gravely.

"I know that this must sounds harsh, and I do not wish you to think ill of me. I just miss what memories I have of Middle Earth. There were not many to begin with, but in my heart it will always be my home."

Fiona patted her sibling's hand. "It's alright to let it out, you know. We will understand. If it makes you feel better Ithilwen, I only feel at home down there when I am with you and Mom. The North Pole is more of a home to me when I am not with either of you." She reached across the table to select a freshly baked cookie as she asked, "Do you think you will return to Middle Earth anytime soon? As in like, this century or something?"

Ithilwen had to laugh. "I don't know for certain. Naneth has told me that she's had dreams of home that haven't been what she was expecting."

"How do you mean? Was she having a vision of Middle Earth, or was it something like a weird dream that she had?"

"More like the former, from her description. Naneth told me once about a legend of these specially-crafted Rings of Power-"

Having some familiarity with the Elvish lore, Fiona interrupted, "Does this relate to what she saw?" The more either talked of their culture, the more confusing it became to keep everything organized.

"Yes, of course," Ithilwen said distractedly. "Naneth told me that there were these rings that were forged by the Gwaith-i-Mírdain in Eregion. Well this group of people were renowned for their craftsmanship through the lands. During the Second Age, a stranger approached and taught them more, allowing them to expand their repertoire. I was told that Gil-galad and my uncle Elrond had encouraged the Mírdain to ignore this strangers' comings, but the warnings went unheeded. Then roughly three centuries later, the first Ring of Power was made. Not long after this, these elves and the stranger made more."

"I thought...wait... What?" Fiona pulled a face.

"I'm getting to the point," Ithilwen said, rolling her eyes. "The one that I think Naneth called Celebrimbor took this knowledge and made three additional rings without the stranger's assistance: Narya, Nenya, and Vilya. But here is where the story turns - the stranger had a secret he had been keeping as well, that he was the dark lord Sauron, and he had forged a ring himself within the fires of Mount Doom."

"That makes-" Bernard said, doing the math.

"A shit ton," Fiona finished for him.

"Actually, that last ring was unknown to everyone but Sauron. It was called the One Ring, or the Ruling Ring, with which he put his own power into to control the others. But since he wasn't aware of the additional three, when he put the ring on, the three Elves that had been assigned the additions knew of what he had done and removed theirs, breaking the bond. A war was waged on Eregion, and Celebrimdor was tortured and killed. Sauron took nine of the rings and gave them to the kings of Men, who became these awful creatures called Ringwraiths because they had succumbed to the power bestowed on them. Seven went to the Dwarves, but they were resistant to the magic of his control. At the end of the Second Age, Sauron was defeated, and a man called Isildur cut the One Ring from his finger with the shards of his father's broken sword."

"Why do I get the feeling that is not the end of the story?" the arch elf asked with dread.

Ithilwen tried not to groan. "I am almost done, just hang in there. Anyway, My uncle Elrond fought in the battle against the Dark Lord, and journeyed into Mount Doom with Isildur to destroy the One Ring. However, greed fell upon the man, and he kept the ring. This would come at a heavy price, and he was shot down in the River Anduin, a betrayed man drunk with the idea of power. No one ever located the One Ring, and it was believed that the ring was lost and forgotten..."

Fiona stopped stirring her cocoa. "Mom doesn't think it is gone, does she?"

Ithilwen nodded. "Well it's not exactly something that can be crushed to dust, is it? She told me, and this was when you had to fly to Sacramento, that she believed that the Ring would return to the forefront of everyone's minds."

"What about these other rings?" Bernard asked. "Are they lost to the world as well?"

"Not that I know of. Their original owners could have passed them down to the next worthy person, but if someone were to find the One Ring and take control of it, they would have control over a large portion of Middle Earth without having to claim land through battle. These rings were given to High lords of the races who were deemed worthy of their power."

"Not good then," Fiona muttered. "What do you think will happen?"

The elleth shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "I haven't the foggiest. I fear the worst though, and that would be open war on Middle Earth. Naneth thinks that the beginnings of another war has already begun."

"What will they do?" Bernard asked, leaning forward.

"The only way to end this is for the ring to be destroyed, but it will take someone of great heart to bear the burden of that temptation and not give in on the journey to Mordor." Having been taught an abridged version of the history of middle-earth from Morwen, the odds didn't look to be in anyone's favor.

* * *

><p>It was a solemn day for departure. The Fellowship were gathered about the gates of Rivendell, waiting for the last members to collect. Elves had come to gather around and offer their silent farewells to the travelers. The lord of Rivendell spoke calmly as he addressed the nine companions. "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you."<p>

The wizard shifted his weight on the wooden staff he carried. "The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer."

The small Hobbit named Frodo Baggins looked around at the gathering of Elves and the Fellowship before turning and passing through the gates of Rivendell, knowing that there was a great possibility that he would never set his gaze upon the lands again.

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" he whispered to the wizard. The wizard sighed and smiled slightly at the question.

"Left."


	3. Chapter 3

She knew she was dreaming. It wasn't that big of a stretch, but it had been a while since her dreams had been so dark. Not dark as in grimly disturbing, but dark as in the absence of light. Ithilwen knew that she wasn't falling through a darkened void – a dream of that magnitude had not occurred in months, and that was caused by what she assumed was eating leftovers in the midnight hours. The area around her felt dry and moist at the same time, almost as if she were underground. Her feet felt solid ground, despite it being ruggedly uneven, and she held her hands outstretched before her to feel for any protruding objects that she might walk into as she took careful steps.

The ground made light scrapes as her booted feet passed over, and had it been viewable, little to no sign of footprints would have been left behind. Hands still outstretched, she could not find any objects in her direct path, but her left foot did come into a first name basis with a rock.

"Ow!" she cried out, her outburst echoing off the walls of the area. Nursing her bruised foot blindly, Ithilwen had to assume that wherever she was had a very open area for sound to carry so well, even if it came with the surprise attack rock along the way. She had bent down to inspect her toed boot with her hands when she heard another voice echo off of the walls.

"Who goes there?" Came a distinct male voice.

Ithilwen froze. Was she trespassing? Gods, she hoped not. Slowly she rose to her full height and tried not to let her voice falter in reply. "Someone with an injured foot. I am unarmed, and did not mean to trespass into your territory. If I could see I would quickly make my leave." She didn't hear the footsteps, but from the voice of the male, it sounded as if he were merely feet from her when he spoke once more.

"Do not despair, fair maiden. I am but a traveler through these parts as well. How did you come to hurt yourself so?"

Fair maiden?! Well that was peculiar…even for a dream! She figured she'd run with it, since it was a dream and all, and see how things panned out. If it became too much she could always try and wake herself up. There should be another giant rock laying around somewhere.

"I stubbed my foot on a rock I could not see. Sir, where exactly are we? I do not recognize this place. Though my sight is of no use to me here, my other senses cannot decipher a familiar place." 'Ironic given that elven sight was supposed to be _so much better_ than a human's,' she thought to herself.

She heard a chuckle from the male. "You do not have to use such formalities with me, fair maiden. I am not sure of this exact location myself, as my company and I are traveling through Moria presently."

Moria? Where had she heard of that before? "So this is not Moria?"

"Nay, little one. However, it does bear a similarity to the dreary caves of old."

Silence fell between the two. Ithilwen continued to reach out for any rocks that might spring up, when she felt the touch of the other person's hand grasp her own. She tensed, fearing that she had run into him, then relaxed as he said, "It is alright. I will lead you back from the direction whence I came." And to emphasize his intentions, he gently tugged on her hand to begin leading her out of the darkness. Through the walk, they remained silent, save for his warnings of any obstacles in the path that she might further injure herself on. Ithilwen was struggling to find something to say to the stranger, but nothing would come forth. She still could not see him, for that matter, which puzzled her, but amazingly, did not scare her. She could not figure out for the life of her why she felt so comfortable in this stranger's presence to speak so easily with him; in her town she had to fight bouts of shyness when meeting new people.

"Can you see it?" She heard the stranger speak suddenly.

"See what?" was her reply.

"The light, of course. We are approaching the opening of the caves!" he sounded relieved. She figured he must not have been the type of person to enjoy being underground in total darkness either. Her sore toes couldn't blame him for that.

Ithilwen strained her eyes to see a meager glimmer of light that the stranger was referring to, and felt the wave of relief pass over her as well. As the came closer, and the light glowing ever brighter, she dared the chance to look up at the stranger, in hopes that she could see his face. She wanted to at least be able to see him somewhat so that she could thank him properly.

As she looked up, she could not see much at all. Between the brightness of the light before them, and the darkness at their backs, the best that she could see was an outline of the stranger. He was tall, that much she could discern, but any distinguishable features were lost to her. The light was making it hard to see anything, really, and it made her head hurt with the intensity of it. She couldn't see that the stranger was having just as hard a time as she was, having to squint to even make out where to take the proper steps without falling.

Once they made it into the light, his grip on her hand loosened slightly, as if he wasn't quite ready to let go just yet. Squinting so much that her eyes were nearly closed, Ithilwen turned to face him. "Thank you, kind sir, for helping me out of the caves."

She felt him give her hand another squeeze. "I am happy that I could have been of service to you, little one. It is easy to become lost in the darkness when you are alone."

"Then I am glad to have heard that you do not travel alone, good sir. I hope that you and your company have a safe journey through Moria." She wanted to add more, and from the faintest break in the brightness, she could see his mouth begin to move, but she heard nothing. The feeling of falling had overcome her, and darkness swam before her eyes as she fell into a void…

Why, in her void of darkness and silence, was she hearing the sounds of a radio?

The sound of her cell phone was the culprit, she learned, picking her aching body up from off the opposite side of the bed. Flopping unceremoniously back onto it, she wiggled across the mattress and tangle of sheets to answer the obnoxious contraption.

"Wha is it?" she mumbled blearily.

"Oh that's a fine way to treat your sister, girlie!" came the chipper voice of someone who had been awake a while.

Ithilwen scrunched up her face as she rolled onto her back. "Fiona? What time is it?"

"7:30 in the morning," was the answer. "I had to run out to the store to grab some stuff for my camera, and I thought I'd bring back some breakfast. You hungry?"

"Aren't I always?" she chuckled, hearing the other woman laugh outright on the other end.

"That's good, cause I'm waiting in line right now. Go on and get up and get moving. The lines are moving pretty quick this morning, so I should be home in about ten minutes, give or take traffic." Taking that as the end of the call, and the silent tone on the other end, Ithilwen snapped the phone shut and tossed it on her bedside table, rolling back onto her pillows.

Ithilwen laid there, trying to figure out why she had rolled out of the bed, when she heard a male voice resound in her head with the words "Little one" and "Dear maiden". She shot straight up in bed upon realization of the dream, too awake to even attempt a few more minutes of sleep. She knew she would have to tell Fiona about this; she was the only one nearby that Ithilwen would know for certain whether she was crazy or not.

* * *

><p>"I'm home!" rang out through the house. Fiona set the steaming bags of greasy breakfast onto the kitchen counter and walked to the living room to deposit her new supplies on the nearest couch. Fiona's hobby had been photography since she was a little girl, and the interest had continued on even through college, where she declared it her major. Now she did freelance work; not so much for the money, but to meet the needs of those that could not reserve time with the highly-sought companies. She worked just as hard as the big companies did to capture memories, and funneled any profits from her assignments back into the materials.<p>

Ithilwen met the girl when they were both physically younger, with the appearance of small children. Her mother willingly took Fiona in and set for the legal work to have her listed as her own child. Fiona had made a promise to Morwen that she would look out for the older elleth until the day that they were to return to Middle Earth. It wasn't a day that Fiona particularly looked forward to, but she knew that they didn't belong on Earth. One day she would continue to age and look older than both her mother and sister, eventually leaving them behind. She didn't want them to suffer like that, as much as she'd miss them.

'Of course I have to show signs of aging first,' she thought as she stared at the office supply bags. She was 37 years old, but her looks would peg her as 24 or 25. Fiona didn't know what the hell was going on with her genetics, only having been told that there were no records on file of her biological parents. The occasional checkups didn't find any genetic misnomers or potential screw-ups, but she wasn't going to gloat. Murphy's Law and all that.

Seeing the elleth scramble down the stairs like the hounds of hell were on her heels, Fiona should have known right then that things were about to change. "Damn, girl! I just got back. Are you that hungry?"

Ithilwen looked at her evenly, not the least bit out of breath. "You could say that," she replied, turning to head towards the kitchen. "I had a dream that I need to talk to you about."

Following her, Fiona asked, "This isn't one of those dreams about running from an 8 foot tall chicken again, is it Ithilwen? Cause I'm telling you that they mean nothing, other than you might want to eat more beef or something."

"No, no it wasn't anything like that." Ithilwen insisted. "I met a guy in this dark void whose face I couldn't see."

And so, Ithilwen recounted the dream, second for second over breakfast to a silent Fiona, who sat and ate with rapt attention. Ithilwen racked her brain trying to remember what details there were, but all that she could collect to describe were the words spoken and the feelings that she experienced. "I know it's not much to go on," the elleth continued, "but it's all that I know. I feel like I'm on the edge of something important, but I don't understand what it could be."

"You said he mentioned that he was on a journey with a group of people?" A nod. "Maybe it has something to do with him?"

"So you think he's real, Fiona?"

The strawberry blonde shrugged. "It's hard to tell right now. Your dream sounds real, despite the setting. Even your foot hurts, but then again that could just be because you fell out of bed this morning." She paused to take a drink of her orange juice. "Who knows, maybe you'll see him again. I'd let it play out for a while and see what happens, if I were you."

"How do you mean?" Ithilwen furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You know that saying about concentrating on something before you sleep so that you'll dream about it?" Another nod. "Well, go with that. Think about this person and what you remember of them, and with some luck you might even see their face!"

Ithilwen laughed. "Yes, I suppose you are right. Seeing a face would be nice the next time around!" They continued to eat their breakfast and discuss other matters, but for Ithilwen, the nameless and faceless person from her dreams would not leave her be. She hoped deep in her heart that he was not in fact a figment of her imagination, so that she might one day meet him face to face. He was much kinder than many of the men she had met in this realm.

* * *

><p>"Master Elf, are you well, sir?" The voice of the hobbit Samwise stirred Legolas from his thoughts as they walked the corridors of Moria.<p>

The elf gave the hobbit a smile of reassurance. "Aye, I believe so. I had been reflecting upon a dream is all."

"A dream?" came a voice from behind him. Legolas didn't have to turn to recognize the voice of the ranger, Aragorn. "And what kind of a dream can keep an elf's sure sight from focus?"

"A young maiden." Was the simple answer, but to the surrounding company it was baffling. The elf in their company had never mentioned knowing a maiden through their journey thus far, only having focus on the potential dangers that lay ahead of them. The old wizard Gandalf turned his gaze back to the young elf and studied him carefully. The wizard could tell from the tense expression on Legolas' face that he was troubled by this dream.

"Perhaps, it would be wise to forget this maiden," he said blithely, to gauge the elf's reaction. As he suspected, the look of surprise in his eyes mixed with what looked like defiance was an answer enough for him. "Then again," he added, "perhaps this maiden's visits could prove useful."

"Just how is a maiden supposed to help on a quest that was founded by men?" Boromir asked with skepticism regarding the entire matter.

Ignoring him, Gandalf stopped in his steps and waited for the elf to approach. "Whichever path you choose to follow, young one, do not forget the oath that you have given to the group."

Nodding, Legolas said, "Of course." He knew that he wanted to see this maiden again, and knew full well the impossibilities of what could occur on the journey. So if seeing a young maiden in his dreams would ease the pain of the coming days, he would wholeheartedly welcome her presence.

**A/N:** More changes in this chapter than the last one. A little more information on Fiona, and if I had had any idea that she would take off like she had, I would have spent more time on her role earlier in the story! ;) That's a lot of the issue with uploading a story you're working on that doesn't have a detailed outline. I wanted to create Fiona for purpose, not just to "be there", and her purpose didn't come along until the last third of the story. Same goes with Morwen. I just lacked any direction with either at first until we hit a certain point, and that just isn't right, even if Ithilwen would be seen as the "main". Their focus right now might not move the story along any faster, but they to be featured too, cause you know, character development. :)

Also, I'm setting this one as a second-priority while I work on Lead Me Home. So some updates may come faster than others, it just depends on how stuck I get on a LMH chapter or how quickly I revise these, but do let me know what you think of the newer version!


	4. Chapter 4

"Over the bridge! Fly!"

The cries of the wizard for the company to get across the crumbling ruins was nearly drowned by the rapid destruction caused by the monstrous being that was approaching their heels. Gandalf stopped halfway across the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and turned to face the fiery Balrog. The growls of the beast did not deter the wizard, set on drawing his attacks away from the Fellowship. From the other side of the open cavern, Frodo yelled to Gandalf to convince him to turn away from the fight, but his cries went unnoticed.

"I am the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you!" With his staff in hand, he raised it high as a bright white light illuminated the surrounding area. The Balrog swung a flaming sword down, only to have the attack blocked by Gandalf's sword, Glamdring. The sword of fire was shattered, but this did not stop the Balrog, who produced a whip of fire as its next choice of weaponry.

"YOU…SHALL NOT…PASS!" The roar of the wizard was drowned by the clash of his staff and sword upon the bridge. There was a pause in action, as the Balrog made to move forward to attack Gandalf, but the weight of the beast was the breaking point for the stone bridge, causing it to crumble from beneath. The Balrog fell from the bridge into the seemingly never-ending chasm. Gandalf watched the demon fall to its demise as he leaned on his staff for support. Satisfied that his attack was final, he turned to join the rest of the company waiting for him.

To see the fiery whip reach up and grasp Gandalf's ankle came as a surprise. The Balrog was determined to not be the only one to die this day. Grasping onto the edge of the broken bridge, he looks to the terrified members of the group and utters, "Fly, you fools!" before losing his grip and disappearing from view.

* * *

><p>"There's someone you need to meet."<p>

That one sentence would start a chain reaction of events that neither sister would see coming. Fiona had said the words with such earnest that it had made Ithilwen suspicious.

"For your sake, Fiona, this had best be a joke."

They were standing in Ithilwen's bedroom. Ithilwen was standing by the bed with her arms crossed, glaring at the articles of clothing that were flying from her closet to the bed. Fiona came out holding a simple floral dress and some shoes she thought were appropriate.

"Just here me out, Ithilwen," her sister began, holding the dress up under Ithilwen's chin. "I've been told that Payne is a really nice guy-"

"You haven't even met him?! Fiona-"

"-and his friends speak nothing but good things about him. Why don't you give it a chance?" Okay, so she hadn't met him _personally_, but she did know a few friends of his from conventions. They had spoken well of him, even hinting that he was lonely in their last few emails to each other. Payne didn't live nearby, perse, but his town wasn't far from Burgess, and he visited his friends often enough to be a local.

Ithilwen scoffed. "Because he's a mortal? Isn't that enough of a reason to not do this?"

"Sweetie, the world is full of mortals. One of them is interested in taking you out for lunch. Just one date. Would you do it for me?" At her friend's lack of agreement, she continued. "Look, I know that you aren't always locked away in this house when we're gone, but maybe this will be an opportunity to make a new friend. He is a friend of Daryn and Rick's, you know, the Barnabus and Jack Skellington cosplayers we met back at Comicon last year?"

Sighing, the elleth replied with, "Dammit. Alright, but just one lunch date. If I don't feel comfortable seeing this person again on a date, I don't want to hear it. Understand?"

Fiona nodded enthusiastically and went back to planning her sister's outfit.

* * *

><p>"He's here! He's here! He's here!"<p>

Fiona nearly bounced on her toes all the way to the front door when the sound of the doorbell rang through the house. Ithilwen was much calmer coming down the stairs, albeit slowly. She really didn't want to be set up with a mortal; the idea made her feel insulted on one level and disappointed on another. Even if she did hit it off with this Payne, she knew that she would outlive him by lightyears. As she was coming down the steps, her balance shook, and she grabbed with railing with more force to steady herself.

"Ithilwen? You coming?" Fiona asked from the foot of the stairs.

"Yes, I'll be right there." She replied back.

Fiona turned and went back to the living room, and Ithilwen could hear her tell someone that she would be down shortly. _Must be that Payne mortal_, she thought. As she turned into the doorway, Fiona beckoned her over to the pair. All thoughts of her unstable balance left her when Fiona spoke, breaking her from her reverie.

"It's nice to meet you," she bowed her head to the mortal who sat in the armchair to her left. This man, or rather boy in her eyes, seemed nice enough. He had no outstanding features that she could see – dark hair, dark eyes, slightly tanned skin. Normal.

* * *

><p>Payne took Ithilwen to a casual restaurant for lunch. Conversation was weak, in her opinion, because she could not tell him the full truths of her origins. When he asked about her ears, Ithilwen told him that it was a genetic anomaly.<p>

"You never thought about getting them fixed?" Payne asked before eating a mouthful of pasta.

Ithilwen paused in stirring her chicken salad, caught off guard by the question. When Payne noticed her silence, he looked up and caught her expression. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me."

"No, it's alright…you just surprised me," Ithilwen replied. "The thought never occurred to me, to be honest. When I was in school, none of the other children teased me about them, and I always liked being different."

Payne shrugged with a laugh. "You're a better person than me," he said. "I would have had them rounded off in a heartbeat. I'd be afraid that everyone would think I was a freak!" Ithilwen smiled at his attempt at humor, but she didn't find it amusing in the least. When she turned her attention back to her food, he changed subjects again, this time asking about where she went to school.

Before Ithilwen could answer, she felt a tight pain in her chest. Forgetting that she was in public, and in the company of a stranger, she placed her hand to her chest and gasped in surprise. Payne looked up from his plate and noticed her state. "Are you alright?" he asked casually. "Was it something I said?"

Ithilwen looked up a moment later. "I'm… I'm fine," she said. She diverted his attention back to the conversation, but what transpired would not leave her thoughts alone. First she loses her footing on the steps, and now she has chest pain? This was strange indeed.

* * *

><p>"This was fun," Payne said, walking Ithilwen to the front door. "Maybe we could meet up for lunch again sometime, or maybe a movie?"<p>

Ithilwen tensed at his words. Payne was nice to be around throughout lunch. Despite the first-meeting awkwardness that popped up throughout lunch, Ithilwen could not find a reason not to say no to him. That bugged her, as she was adamant about not enjoying this date, when it turned out that she did find his company enjoyable. Payne picked up on her silence. "Is something wrong? Did I step out of bounds?"

The elleth shook her head. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. It's just…" she took a breath. "Listen, when I was told that I was being set up on a blind date, I didn't want to go through with it-"

"Hey that's alright!" Payne cut her off. "I wasn't thrilled with my friends for setting this up either. But then when I got here, and I met you, and through lunch I just kept thinking.. wow, I'm glad I said yes."

Ithilwen smiled slightly. "I enjoyed your company as well. I just don't want to raise your hopes for something that I am not ready for."

Payne shrugged. "No worries, Ithilwen. We don't have to do anything that would make you uncomfortable. We can just hand out like a couple of friends and see where things go from there if you want."

"That sounds acceptable," Ithilwen smiled more. Payne told her that he would talk to her later and they parted ways; Ithilwen heading inside, and Payne to his car.

Once inside the house, Ithilwen walked into the den to find Fiona playing a video game. She had a headset on and was talking a teammate through a level when Ithilwen pulled another gaming chair over to her. "So," Fiona started, lowering the microphone of her headset down slightly. "How was lunch?"

"It was…enjoyable."

"See, I told you you'd have fun," Fiona turned back to the television, before her eyes darted to Ithilwen's. "What's wrong?"

"I had a peculiar chest pain during lunch," the elleth muttered.

"Did you eat something greasy?"

"It wasn't like that. It was… sad."

"How so?" Fiona moved her character to a safe zone before telling her team that she would be back in a minute and turned to Ithilwen.

"You know the feeling of grief? It was as if someone was lost. When I was coming downstairs earlier, my footing slipped, and I nearly lost my balance."

Fiona's brow furrowed. "This is strange. You can't get sick, so it isn't that. Empathy?"

"That might be possible, but I do not understand who it is that is feeling sad."

"Could it be Mom? I know she has moments of sadness when she thinks of your dad," Fiona suggested.

Ithilwen shook her head. "No, this level of sadness is stronger. Nana has had time to cope with not being with Ada. This is new, and sudden. As if the rug was pulled from under someone's feet."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **Again, not much of a difference in this chapter, but I swear new stuff is coming soon. The biggest change of this chapter was how Fiona broke the news to Ithilwen about introducing her to Payne, and all the fix was was correcting some minor inconsistencies.


	5. Chapter 5

"Project BJ appears to be moving along steadily," a female voice noted, pausing. "For future reference, never let Lust nickname celebrity couples again."

Delicate fingers typed across a massive keypad, lighting the keys up in shades of lavender with each touch. Books, both opened and closed, lay scattered across the rest of the desk space, often earmarked with any form of page marking that could be found in a pinch. A cup of now-cold tea sat ignored off in the corner, far away from any important paperwork.

The figure sitting hunched over the keypad arched her back to stretch, tossing white-blond hair back over her shoulders. She was youthful-appearing in size, looking even smaller compared to the massive amount of content that was piled around her workspace. The woman looked around, finally spotting the cup of tea. When she reached for a taste, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. Her choice of drink that morning had been picked because it tasted good hot, and she had forgotten all about it.

A blinking light on the wide monitor before her took her attention then. She swiveled in her chair to focus solely on the notification. "Interesting," she murmured. "Very interesting. I'll have to keep a careful eye on this one..."

The woman brought a fingertip to the monitor, touching the blinking popup to drag it to an empty folder on the desktop. Once the file was tucked away, her fingers returned to the keypad, renaming the folder "Project: Sailor Moon".

* * *

><p>"I'm worried about her, Mom."<p>

"I know you are, but there's nothing that we can do right now."

Fiona chewed her lip as she sat at the kitchen island with the phone. She knew from Morwen that the family line had a knack for divination of sorts, but the idea of premonition-type dreams had always weirded her out. She felt it was going against fate to have a running log of what was going to happen, but her mother had explained many times that it didn't work like a college syllabus.

"There's nothing that can be done? I mean she said she met someone in a cave so dark she couldn't see. I thought you guys were like cats and could see in pitch blackness?"

Morwen could be heard laughing over the phone. "We have very good eyesight, yes, but it was a dream. The only thing that concerns me is the person she described, or rather couldn't." Morwen was silent for a moment. "Let me think on this for a day or so and ask around. I'll be home in a few days and we can all sit down and talk about this. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good. Thanks Mom." Fiona said her farewells over the phone and ended the call. Sure, it sounded good in theory, but she felt like there was more to these weird occurrences with her sister. The younger woman may not have had a psychic bone in her body, but something in her gut instincts told her that this had to be part of something bigger.

Upstairs, Ithilwen had laid down to sleep. Or tried to, anyway; sleep wasn't coming quickly for one that didn't need it frequently. She tried to let her mind focus on her previous dream of the mysterious person. It wasn't easy with so many other things on her mind. Payne had called her earlier that day to talk, and he had stealthily snuck in a request to go out for dinner the following week. Ithilwen had agreed... after some persuasive conversation from his end of the line and Fiona pressed against her shoulder on the other.

There was also the matter of her sudden loss of balance and the pang of grief that overcame her. She and Fiona spent some time checking in with their friends and discreetly asking about their current states, but came up short of any leads. Everyone they knew was doing fine to some degree.

Ithilwen turned over in her bed and reached for her mp3 player on the bedside table. A few button clicks later, she had pulled up a relaxing playlist to help lull her to sleep.

* * *

><p>It was hot. Nearly unbearable kind of hot. Why was it so damned hot?!<p>

All she could see was shades of red. Then from somewhere far from her peripheral vision, a white light burst forth, and the redness shifted. But then something strange happened to the white light, and the redness faded to black.

Ithilwen felt her feet lose ground beneath her as she fell into the darkness. She tried to scream, but it was lost in the void. The heat was increasing. Whatever it was that was the source was getting closer… Her eyes picked up a glimmer of metal as it sailed towards her-

* * *

><p>She shot up in the bed, sweating as if she had taken one of those Zumba classes with Fiona. "What the hell was that?!" she breathed. Ithilwen rubbed the heels of her palms into her eyes, catching sight of the dream sand that fell to her lap.<p>

"Sorry Sandman, but I don't think I'll be going to sleep just yet," she spoke to the room, swinging her legs over the edge and standing.

Ithilwen made her way down to the kitchen to get some water; the dream that she had made her feel almost feverish, the heat felt so real. Gulping some of the liquid down, she leaned against the counter and watched from the window the different strands of dream sand make their way across the town. She was so caught up with the golden strands that she jumped upon hearing the tapping from the very window she was gazing through.

The little golden man made a motion of tapping his wrist as almost as if to say, "Do you know what time it is?"

Ithilwen waved him over to the kitchen door and let him in. "I know, Sandy, I know. Believe me, I was asleep. I just had a… strange dream that woke me up."

The Sandman made sand gestures overhead that looked like twisted horses. Ithilwen shook her head. "No, I doubt it was a nightmare. This doesn't seem like something Pitch would do. It was.. I don't know.. it was almost like it was a memory, a really fuzzy memory." Ithilwen then proceeded to describe what she saw, or rather felt, in the dream to Sandy, who watched the elleth's gestures with a puzzled expression. "I'm guessing it wasn't a product of your handiwork either, huh?" she asked when she finished her tale.

The golden Guardian shook his head. He looked as confused as Ithilwen felt. His posture changed suddenly, as if remembering his purpose for stopping by. Ithilwen watched as more images appeared above his head. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll try going back to sleep!" The signs stopped and Sandy actually began to nudge her back upstairs to her bedroom. At the foot of the stairs, however, Ithilwen stopped at turned to the small man. "I will try and go back to sleep, Sandy. I can't say I'll have much luck, but I'll try."

Sandy seemed content with this answer, but he refused to move from his spot by the stairs until he was sure she went back to her room. As he floated out of the house without a sound, he reflected on what his elfin friend had told him. The Man in the Moon had not spoken to them since Jack Frost was selected to be the next Guardian, and there were no tell tale signs of a new danger. Still, Ithilwen's description was unsettling, and the small man would make it a point to confide this information with North when his work was finished in Burgess.

Ithilwen, meanwhile, had slumped back into her pillows, clearly wide awake. Her mind was tired, but it was still so active she had trouble focusing on sleep. As if she wasn't worried about previous events, this dream…thing… had to add to it. Rolling to her side, she buried her head in her pillow, lest she give into her frustration and scream. Unlike herself, Fiona required more rest, and she did not want to wake her friend. She tried to think about something else while she drifted off; oddly enough, her thoughts kept coming back to the dream cave. 'Guess it's better than that hell-pit,' she mused, giving into sleep.

* * *

><p>This time, the air was more moist and comfortable. Ithilwen looked down to find herself wearing a sleeveless white gown and bare feet standing among green grass and scattered golden leaves. 'Well, it's definitely better than the hell-pit,' she thought looking around. She was standing in what looked like a forest, but she knew the location was no where near where she lived; the trees were much taller and larger than those of Burgess, or any of the places she had been in that realm for that matter. She began to walk around, noting that the ground was soft and pliable beneath her feet. It was strange, she felt like she had been in this place before, but she was fairly certain that she had not been in these woods in recent memory.<p>

Movement from her left caught her attention, banishing all thoughts of familiarity to the wayside for the time being. The area felt calm, and Ithilwen saw no reason to not explore and discover the source. Her pace quickened, darting around protruding tree roots and kicking up the golden leaves that she passed. "Who are you?" she called out. "I mean no harm. Please, show yourself!"

"Young maiden?" A male voice responded, one that Ithilwen did not expect. "You are here as well?"

Ithilwen looked around trees, trying to find the voice as she answered. "You are the man from the caves, yes?"

A chuckle was her answer, followed by, "So it is true. You are the maiden who cannot find her way through the darkness."

She couldn't help but huff indignantly. "If you will remember, it was pitch dark back there!" Twisting around the trunk of another tree, she asked again, "Where are you? I cannot find you, but you sound very close by."

"I am here, young maiden," the voice said from behind Ithilwen.

Ithilwen turned at the sound of feet hitting the earthen soil behind her, realizing rather foolishly that he was tucked away in the tree she was ambling around. She had the urge to scold the man for tricking her so, but the words died on her lips as she got her first look at the man who helped her from before.

He was tall, taller than her, with long pale blond hair. His eyes were blue and his skin fair, clothed in what looked like a tunic of greens and greys. What surprised her most was.. "Your ears… are pointed," she murmured.

He nodded his head and spoke, "I am an elf, my lady."

Ithilwen almost laughed outright. "I am too!" she exclaimed, lifting her hair back to expose her ears to him as well. "May I ask your name?"

"I am Legolas, of the Woodland Realm," he answered with a bow. "What is your name, young maiden?"

Not being able to curtsy properly, Ithilwen opted for a smaller bow of her head. "I am Ithilwen, daughter of Morwen and Haldir or Lothlorien." With her head down, she missed the flash of surprise that graced Legolas' face. "I must admit, it is nice to see you again. Or rather, be in your presence again, as this is the first time that I have ever seen you," she laughed. "My previous attempt at sleep had less than desirable results."

"You did not sleep well?"

Ithilwen shook her head. "Unfortunately not. It was peculiar though, something about a heated chasm and something silver-looking…" She looked around her, again missing the surprise that flashed across the male elf's face. "I don't suppose you happen to know where we are again? I feel as if I have been here before, but I know that where I live, the trees are not this grand."

Legolas looked at her in confusion. "You say that you are from Lothlorien, yet you do not recognize the outlying forests?"

"We're near Lothlorien?!" Ithilwen asked in surprise.

The elf nodded. "My company has come to rest for the night in the outskirts of the forests. We depart for the city in the early morning hours." Ithilwen noticed how tired his voice sounded as he spoke these words to her. It was almost as if he were hiding something significant that had worn him down, but she couldn't bring herself to ask. "Do you not live in Lothlorien any longer, Lady Ithilwen?"

"No… no, I haven't for some time now," she replied softly. "My naneth and I live elsewhere. I am not sure about the status of my adar, however." Seeing his questioning look, Ithilwen opened her mouth to tell him about the strange occurrence that led her and her naneth into the strange modern realm, but no sound came out. She tried again, only to see that her vision was beginning to blur. Her last sight of Legolas was his startled face mirroring her own confusion.

* * *

><p>Legolas was shaken awake by Aragorn. "It is time to depart, my friend," the ranger said, securing the last of his belongings together. It wasn't the ranger's intention to stop outside Lothlorien's borders, but the nonstop pace to escape Moria and the sight of incoming orcs had taken its toll on the group. Aragorn finally conceded to stopping to make camp once they had reached the outermost edges of the forest.<p>

Groggily, Legolas sat up. "It is daybreak, then?"

"Not quite, but close," Aragorn replied. He turned back to look at the elf, and was surprised by the state of his friend. "Restless sleep?" he ventured.

"Not…exactly," Legolas replied, getting to his feet. "I saw the maiden again." Aragorn didn't have to ask to whom the elf referred. Legolas wasn't one to go chasing after ellith like some might have expected. When he mentioned a maiden in conversation, there were no guessing games. "This time I was able to see her. She is of elf-kind, a daughter of Lothlorien." He proceeded to collect what belongings he had unpacked and moved out with the group.

Aragorn, not ready to let the topic drop, ventured further to inquire into Legolas' dream. Since it wasn't a secret, he did not lower his voice much, although the elf would have preferred a little discretion. "Perhaps we shall meet her in the city, then?"

"No," the elf replied. "She is not there. I was told that where she resides currently is not within any description of Middle-earth."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** A bit more has been changed, mostly adding in more character dialogue that should have been there in the beginning, but like I've said, I didn't really start to "see" the characters come out until the last third of the story. It won't move the pace any faster, I don't think, but perhaps this will make the journey more interesting from the mortal side while the Fellowship is going on their way.

Also, I want to thank CountingSinfulStars once more for letting me use her OC. If you read the original, you'll know her. If you haven't, you'll get a better glimpse of her from here on out. This chapter was the perfect opportunity to "introduce" her so to speak, and we'll get to see how she relates to the storyline much better.


	6. Chapter 6

"You saw him?!" Fiona shrieked into the phone. "What's his name? What does he look like?"

Ithilwen had to hold the small device away from her ear as the tinny sound carried through the room. Wincing, she vaguely wondered if her sibling ever remembered that she had sensitive hearing.

She had woken with a start, unsure of what had happened that caused her to stir. As she got up and moved about the house, she noticed that she was alone once again. Fiona had left a note letting her know that she had to work. Being alone in the large house that early in the morning usually did not bother the elleth, but because of this most recent dream, her mind was buzzing. In retrospect, calling Fiona had sounded like a good idea at the time. It was still too early for the shrieking, though.

Feeling a little braver, Ithilwen placed the phone back to her ear. "He told me his name was Legolas. He's tall, taller than me…sorta broad-chested I think...er…he's got long blond hair and.." she wracked her brain trying to remember the details, "…blue eyes. Yeah."

Fiona cooed on the other end. "He sounds cute! Can you remember his features well enough to get down on paper?"

Ithilwen frowned. "I think so…why?" Out of habit her hand had drifted for a stray pen to doodle on the scrap envelope left on the kitchen bar.

"Cause I wanna see when I get home, duh!" From Fiona's tone it sounded like the most obvious thing in the world.

"Fine, fine. I'll do my best, but don't expect miracles; the dream didn't last that long."

* * *

><p>Evening had set in the woods of Lothlorien. The remaining members of the Fellowship were atop a large talan surrounded by the guards. The marchwarden Haldir was currently in a murmuring argument with Aragorn, the later of which was attempting to convince the elf to grant them passage into Lothlorien's inner sanctum. Everyone was scattered about the area, worn down with fatigue, grief, and now frustration.<p>

Boromir was trying to console Frodo and assure him that Gandalf would not wish his demise to weigh upon the small Halfling's shoulders as well. "Gandalf's death was not in vain. Nor would he have you give up hope. You carry a heavy burden, Frodo. Don't carry the weight of the dead." Frodo didn't look convinced. The wizard was his support beam in this dilemma, and having seen the seasoned fighter disappear into the chasm had rattled his confidence.

Legolas was standing off to the side, looking out upon the scenery. He hadn't gotten a chance to rest his mind long enough to venture into dreams, and now what little he had learned from the maiden was added to his worries. She had called herself Ithilwen, and claimed to hail from these parts, yet she was somewhere else. He didn't recognize the name of her naneth, but he could see the faint resemblance between herself and the marchwarden interrogating Aragorn. Legolas wasn't sure what to make of that either. Did he approach Haldir and tell him he had dreamt of the marchwarden's daughter? Was this his daughter, or were the Fates playing with the strands of his dreams, twisting and distorting them into believing in something that did not exist?

Pippin and Merry were not far away, observing the elves surrounding them and feeling very far out of their comfort zone. Pippin rose suddenly from his seat and began to make his way to the elf in their company. "Where are you goin' Pip?" Merry whispered.

"I want to ask him something," he whispered back, nodding to Legolas. Merry made to object, but Pippin was already at the elf's side, tugging lightly on the sleeve of his tunic to grab his attention. "Excuse me," Pippin began, "I had a question I wanted to ask you, if I may?"

Legolas nodded. "What do you wish to know?"

"It was about earlier today. When we were packing up camp," Pippin swallowed, not sure how to ask without feeling foolish or rude. He looked up at Legolas, who looked down at him curiously as he waited patiently. "That… maiden, you said you dreamed about… the one you said was from these parts… what was her name?"

The elf was surprised by the question, as were the others in the immediate area of conversation. What Pippin carried in curiosity he lacked in tact, but Legolas found that he could not deny an answer to the hobbit's question. "She told me that her name was Ithilwen."

"Oh that's a pretty name," Pippin commented. He was about to inquire as to the meaning, if there was one, when the elf addressed as Haldir approached them, followed quickly by Aragorn. Pippin took a few steps back, more than intimidated by the marchwarden's presence.

"You speak of Ithilwen," a surprised Haldir stated to Legolas. "How do you know of my daughter?"

* * *

><p>Between the discovery of another clue to the elf maiden's identity and the all-clear to continue forward, the non-elven members of the Fellowship noticed a change in their companion and the marchwarden. Legolas was more pensive than before, no doubt due to this new piece of information. The dream was terribly short, and she barely got the opportunity to tell him of her parent's lineage. Legolas had begun to question his sanity after a while, trying to make sense of everything. The once-composed marchwarden had approached Pippin and himself so quickly that Legolas was afraid the former would back off the edge of the talan. Haldir's demeanor had changed to that of someone who still held on to hope, and he hoped for the ellon's peace of mind that this maiden was in fact the daughter he had been searching for.<p>

Haldir however seemed more optimistic about recent events, aside from discovering that one of the Shire folk had brought a beacon of evil with him around his neck. His footsteps were significantly lighter regardless, as if he were absolutely certain that Legolas' dream-maiden and his daughter were one in the same. The mention of the name upon the prince's lips made his heart clench, and as he initially spoke to the younger ellon, the hope he had for her being on middle-earth diminished. He would never lose hope that she and his mate were still alive, though, and learning that she had been seen in dreams could only mean good things.

As they reached a hilly outcropping, he could not hide the pride in his voice as he spoke. "Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light."

* * *

><p>Later, back on the forest floor, the group of eight has begun to settle in for the evening. Soft singing wafted through the air in the trees; the elves of Lothlorien were lamenting the loss of Gandalf. Merry had asked Legolas what it was they sung, but he couldn't bear to translate. Not that he would have been much of a translator at the moment, anyway. His mind was clouded with thoughts that wouldn't leave him alone.<p>

Neither, it would seem, would they leave Haldir's. He approached their settlement soundlessly, eyes fixated on the Mirkwood prince. "Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn wish for you to join them," he said. Legolas nodded wordlessly and followed, not entirely certain why he had been summoned. He thought she had read in his mind all that she wished as they stood before her and Lord Celeborn earlier. Unless...there was something else? It was no secret that he was the son of the Woodland King, and it was most certainly no secret that his father and Lord Celeborn had been less than pleasant with the other.

Legolas just hoped that this meeting wasn't an excuse for both ruling ellyn to use his person as a middle-man in their disagreements. He had enough on his mind to concentrate on.

Haldir lead him up the flight of stairs and into the council room where the Lord and Lady were waiting. Legolas bowed to each respectively.

"Thank you for coming, Prince Legolas," Lady Galadriel smiled, gliding to take a seat and motioned for everyone to follow suit. "It would seem that you have come across something important that must be discussed." At Legolas' puzzled look, she continued. "Haldir has informed me that you have dreamt of an elleth by the name of Ithilwen. Tell me, young prince, what do you know about her?"

Legolas glanced to his right to see the apprehensive stare that Haldir was giving him. Biting back the urge to sigh suddenly, he began to recount his dreams, starting back from the very first one in Moria. He spoke in vivid detail of the scenery, of Ithilwen's first appearance, and what they discussed, As he finished the telling, the marchwarden's posture had become stiffer. Legolas wasn't sure what to make of it until Galadriel addressed her commanding officer. "What do you think, Haldir?"

"It is her," he said finally. "That is most assuredly my daughter the Prince speaks of."

So he wasn't crazy. That was good news, in Legolas' opinion. "I do not understand, how is this possible? How can I dream of an elleth not in Valinor or middle-earth?"

"Some time ago, before the Battle of the Five Armies, our youngest daughter Morwen gave birth to a daughter," Celeborn explained, taking his wife's hand in comfort and looking to Haldir.

"Morwen and myself decided to name her Ithilwen, due to her delivery in the evening hours. I was on duty the day my wife chose to ride to Rivendell to visit Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrian with Ithilwen." His hands were balled into fists as the memories came flooding back as if they were repeating.

Galadriel spoke, "During the journey to Rivendell, there was an accident. We did not discover the true cause of Morwen or Ithilwen's disappearance on the journey until much later...it appeared that Saruman was the cause. To claim my ring of power," she fingered the silver-white piece of jewelry, "he cast a spell on what he assumed was myself, sending both our daughter and granddaughter far away. Mithrandir could not detect their presence despite many attempts, and for so long I feared that we would not know of their fates."

Haldir looked to his Lord and Lady. "What must we do to return them to where they belong?" His voice spoke of determination as if he would head out at any minute once he knew where to look.

"We do not know of their location," Celeborn interjected. "To try and locate them with magic could potentially put the search party in danger at the present. Saruman is in alliance with the Enemy now, and any attempts to recreate his work could trigger disaster for all involved."

"Then we must wait," Legolas said dejected. Now that he knew she was most certainly real, he wished to see her all the more. He spared a glance at Haldir, who looked none too happy by this declaration, even though Celeborn spoke the truth.

"I learn that my wife and daughter are still alive, but I cannot retrieve them because of impending war. Tell me, what am I to do with this information, knowing that I can do nothing more than wait?"

Galadriel smiled sadly at the marchwarden. "This news bears heavy upon us all, Haldir, but do not lose hope." She turned her gaze to Legolas. "We can still communicate with her while we bide our time and formulate a plan."

Haldir looked up from his balled fists to Galadriel, then followed her gaze to Legolas. Celeborn shared the same look of wonder that he himself must have, for the Lady of the Golden Wood smiled impishly. "You are able to speak with Ithilwen through your dreams, correct Legolas?"

Not entirely sure of where she was going with this, he nodded. "It was with some concentration that I saw her this past time."

Galadriel's smile widened. "It would appear then that the Valar has blessed us with a gift. During rest, try to concentrate on making contact with Ithilwen. I feel that there is a link that has formed that could be of benefit to us in the future."

Legolas felt he wasn't alone for once, sharing in the confusion and apprehension of the Lady's words. Thranduil had always spoken of the elleth as a bewitching creature that would twist neutral sounding requests to her benefit. His mother, Miraear, had always countered these arguments and claimed that she was very kind but mischievous. Right now he was more inclined to believe his naneth's words than his adar's, knowing that he often spoke of this land with snide remarks. It still didn't explain why he felt that there was more to what she said than she let on, however.

* * *

><p>Ithilwen spent a good portion of the afternoon and evening trying to recreate the image she saw of Legolas from her dream, but as the hours ticked by, her memory became fuzzier, making it all the more difficult to finish. She set her pencil down by the sketch pad and looked at what she did have.<p>

"It's not much," she clicked her tongue in annoyance, "but how the hell am I supposed to get every detail after one look?! Fiona must mistake me for that Da Vinci guy.." Overall, there were some obvious sections that needed to be fixed, but she was more than content with how the eyes came out.

"Looks a bit unfinished, if you ask me," came a voice from behind. Ithilwen didn't turn around to know the owner of that voice.

"That's because it _isn't_ finished, Pitch," she said matter-of-factly, turning to face him. "What do you want?"

The nightmare king had the gall to look surprised. "What makes you think I want anything?"

"Then what are you up to?"

"What makes you think I am up to anything, then?"

Ithilwen rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. Apparently the benefit of being able to see the various Guardians and mythical characters that children could see included the narcissistic king of nightmares. Even if he wasn't trying to plunge the world in darkness he still felt it prudent to slip a rough dream in every once in a while. Shadow to go with the light, and all that. 'I guess this is karma's way of payback,' she thought to herself, realizing that her very being wasn't supposed to exist in this world.

"Actually," he continued, ignoring her current state, "Sandman approached me with some questions. About you."

Hands still over face, she stiffened. "What kind of questions?" she asked slowly.

"Nothing awful, I assure you. Although, he has mentioned that you've been having strange dreams and wanted to make sure that I wasn' the cause of them."

"And…?"

"Despite my disposition, I can assure you that your dreams are not a product of my doing." Ithilwen uncovered her hands and found Pitch strolling casually around the den, inspecting the framed posters and art hung on the walls. "Sandman glossed over the subject, and it sounds to me as if you have some connection to this other elf. An invisible red thread, if you will, that connects you to this other person."

"Red thread..." Ithilwen recalled an old story about the 'invisible red thread', a belief that the connections you make in life are connected by a red thread, and while in one's life the thread may get stretched or tangled, it would never break. She took part in a Red Thread ceremony before she left college, but she had also heard similar tales that used the symbolism to represent lovers. "This isn't like that at all," she replied, shaking her head.

"How do you know?"

"I can't believe I'm going to ask this, but… what do you think I should do about these dreams? I mean, you're familiar with the Freddy Krueger movies, right?"

Pitch shrugged. "See where it leads? There hasn't been anything to threaten your life in these dreams, so there is no reason to not explore the middle plane. And Freddy was a product of legends built around the misdeeds of one man," Pitch went on to point out. "If that is who you have been seeing in your dreams, you have nothing to fear."

'Yeah, nothing to fear except for that giant rock in the cave,' Ithilwen thought wryly. She stood up from her seat and stretched the muscles in her back. "I've yet to eat supper, wanna stay and eat? Or do you have some kid you need to scare in Guadalajara?"

"I could eat," Pitch said. "And I've discovered recently that these internet 'pastas' hold inspiration in scaring the older adolescents more than monsters under the bed."

"I found the 'Ben' one to be funnier than scary. The mask was creepy, though. I still haven't watched the videos, so I could be wrong." Ithilwen led Pitch into the kitchen as she began to boil a pot of water. The talk about creepy pasta stories suddenly made her hungry for spaghetti. "Isn't it the least little bit strange that you're here talking to me, like any one of the other Guardians?"

Pitch shrugged once more. "You're the neutral party here. In case you've forgotten, I'm not in good standing with them."

"So I get to play middle-elf and keep North and the others updated on your behavior?"

"That, and you make decent company because you can see me."

"Well then I'm the luckiest elleth in Burgess, aren't I?" Ithilwen stated sarcastically.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen when Ithilwen found herself back in the dream plane again. The landscape was slightly different; larger trees occupied the land with the faintest glow of lights that seemed to float through the air. She was back in the white gown from before, and while she was annoyed with the long length, she couldn't complain too much because she was still barefoot.<p>

"You're back."

Ithilwen turned on the spot to see Legolas by one of the large trees. Instead of the tunic of greens and browns, he wore a silvery embroidered one with dark leggings and boots. "Yes, I am. I'm sorry about last time. I don't know what it was that woke me."

Legolas walked forward slowly. "The apology is mine, Lady Ithilwen. My company woke me suddenly so that we could continue our journey to Lothlorien."

"I assume that is where we are, or at least the general area?"

"Yes. We have settled for the night. It has been a grievous time for everyone."

Ithilwen could tell how sad he sounded, and could not help asking, "What happened to cause you and your company such grief?" She carefully hobbled over to a nearby tree root to perch on, adjusting the large mass of fabric and motioned for Legolas to join her.

Sitting, Legolas paused before answering. "One of our companions fell behind in Moria." Ithilwen didn't need for him to elaborate; the way he said it was proof enough.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Ithilwen said softly. "I wish that I could offer better words of comfort."

"Alas, I am not sure if there are words of comfort in this circumstance, but I appreciate it all the same," he told her.

"What, um… what is it that you and your company have set out to do?" She couldn't remember if she ever got to ask him before or not.

Legolas looked down at the elf maiden fumbling with her dress, trying to study her features. She had similar features to Haldir, such as the bridge of her nose, but he figured that she took after her mother more in appearance. "We have set out for Mordor. To destroy the Ring of Sauron once and for all."

Ithilwen looked up in surprise. She wasn't sure where Mordor was exactly, but she knew the history of the One Ring of Power. It had been one of the things Morwen had taught her about when she discussed historical events in Middle-earth. "Truly? How will you all manage? I thought that the ring was a beacon for trouble?"

"In a way, yes. It is a secret fellowship that was formed in Rivendell. There are nine of us; myself, two men, a dwarf, four hobbits, and a wizard, whom fell into the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. The hobbit Frodo Baggins is the ring-bearer on this journey."

"Wait, if this was a secret, then why did you tell me so easily?" Ithilwen was confused. "Aren't you afraid that I'm in ties with the enemy?"

Legolas smiled at her questions. "I highly doubt that the enemy could sway a lovely maiden such as yourself. It has come to the attention of others outside our company of your existence, and have reason to believe that you are who they have been searching for." He turned to face her a little better before he continued. "If I may ask, how did you come to live where you are currently, if you are not in Lothlorien?"

"I wish I knew exactly." Ithilwen muttered. Crossing her legs and adjusting her dress again, she explained. "From what Nana has told me, we were traveling to Rivendell to visit my aunt and uncle when some form of magic hit us. I was only about seven or eight years, but I know that we were sent to what is now a more modernized world. The things that the humans have there are much more advanced than anything I have seen before, and it seems as if they are constantly changing."

"Your naneth is still with you, then?"

Ithilwen nodded. "Yes, she's currently out of the country on work, but she will return in a few days time. Why do you ask?"

"Because your adar was worried that you would be alone," he replied. "Your adar is Haldir, the marchwarden of Lothlorien, yes?"

The elleth's face lit up suddenly. "You've met my adar? How is he?"

"Haldir is well, but he misses his family terribly. It was his guards that we encountered entering Lothlorien. When he learned that I had met with you, he was rather adamant about coming to collect you both."

"That would be wonderful!" Her face fell slightly as she studied his own. "And yet, I have a feeling that there's a 'but' coming with that sentence."

"Unfortunately, yes. Sauron's forces grow stronger each day. We are on the brink of war again, I fear. Lord Celeborn felt it wiser that you and your naneth stay where you are for the time being. If we were to come collect you now, he believes that the enemy could use the opportunity as a weak point." Legolas paused. "Of course, that is assuming that we can open a portal to your world. It will take time to research the old magic, and Lady Galadriel believes it was the work of Saruman that led you to where you are."

Saruman? Wasn't that the other wizard Morwen had mentioned, a colleague of Mithrandir's? Ithilwen tucked a strand of hair behind her pointed ear. "That makes sense," she said. It sucked, but it made sense. "We shall wait, then. So, how are my grandparents, Legolas? Are they well?"

Legolas looked a little clueless. "I don't understand?"

"My grandparents, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. My naneth's their youngest child, aside from Celebrian." Ithilwen watched Legolas' face turn from confusion to surprise in milliseconds. His face showed little emotion, but she could see the change in his eyes and had to bite the inside of her cheek. She wasn't sure why, but she found this incredibly amusing.

"Of course," Legolas muttered lamely. Of course she would be their granddaughter. They had even told him outright, but he had too much information to process to recall that fact swiftly. "They are faring well, from the few words I have shared with them." Boy was his father going to be pissed when he found this information out. He had sent a letter back to Mirkwood earlier that evening before he retired to dreams, speaking of Ithilwen by name, and it hadn't occurred to him that the two ellith's disappearances weren't secret knowledge. Thranduil had nothing but contempt for the Lady of Light by the way he spoke of her, but Legolas wasn't about to let his father's ill-will towards Ithilwen's grandmother affect the budding friendship he had going with her.

Still, the secretive smile of the Lady Galadriel was nothing but suspicious. Perhaps it was his father's old stories, or maybe it was the tall tales spoken of the elleth that evoked this feeling in the prince. She knew more than she was willing to let on, and given the fact he had quickly picked up about the family tree, Legolas knew to tread cautiously with the misplaced granddaughter of the Golden Wood...even if they were only in dreams.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** I feel like I rewrote chunks of this chapter partly because I didn't reread previous chapters beforehand, so a lot of information was just restated. And if you're a binge reader that just gets annoying, doesn't it? I also worked on some of the dialogue that was pulled from the extended editions; instead of just adding what they said and interpreting the scenes I added a little more to that so it didn't feel like reading a script.

Like it, love it, or hate it - let me know! I take all reviews into consideration in future writing, so if you reviewed the original story and said that you wanted to see "more of so-and-so", you're gonna get your wish!


	7. Chapter 7

Almost a month had passed since Ithilwen saw Legolas for the first time in what she had come to call their "dream meetings", and in that time she had managed to complete her rendering of the elf for Fiona. She found it difficult to recall his features as the mornings rolled on, so it was with a grumbling stomach that she had to drag herself to her sketchpad to work. Not that she minded, anyway. It presented a challenge in her drawing skills that she hadn't met in some time.

Fiona was due back home two days ago from a special group cosplay shoot who had booked her services months before, but as it turned out, she opted to stay for the duration of the convention and snap candids. Just as well, it gave Ithilwen the opportunity to fine-tune her render. She had refused to let anyone see it before then.

"Knock knock, girlie! Guess who's back!" The voiced echoed from the front door.

Ithilwen turned her focus from her laptop to face the strawberry blond entering the dining room. "Welcome back. And it isn't hard to guess, seeing as you're the only one that calls me 'girlie', especially since I'm far older than you." Noticing her bags, she asked, "So what's the deal? You called me the other day to tell me that you were staying for the convention."

Fiona shrugged as she plopped the bags down on the table. Ithilwen slid her laptop over to give her more space. "It was alright, but there was some drama going on in the Artist's Alley about art theft or something and it killed the atmosphere. You wouldn't think it, but there are some geeks out there that go for blood in their fandoms."

"Nothing serious happened, I hope?"

"Nah, but a few tables did get shut down for the remainder of the day, and some guests were escorted out of the hall. So…." Her bags forgotten, Fiona appeared to be bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.

"So….?" Ithilwen imitated with a raised brow.

"Did you finish it?"

"Finish what?" Ithilwen feigned innocence, just to agitate her.

"The drawing, duh!" Fiona nearly whined. "I've been waiting for nearly a month for you to finish it and I wanna see it!"

Ithilwen bit her lip to avoid laughing at the image Fiona displayed as she spoke. By appearance alone one wouldn't expect her to pout like a small child. She stood and left the room without a word, returning shortly with the sketch pad in her hands. Fiona's demeanor changed when she saw the spiral-bound book and again bounced excitedly. "Since you can't seem to get it off your mind, you will be happy to know that it's finished."

"Yes! Now I finally get to see the man of your dreams!" Fiona was making grabby hands at Ithilwen.

"Elf, Fiona." A pause. "And he's not the man- er elf- of my dreams! He's merely _in_ them! Like any other object or person!"

Fiona muttered something similar to "Sure, sure" as she popped the cover back and began to turn pages to the last used sheet. She didn't say anything when she reached the page that his portrait was on, which made Ithilwen curious. Her sister had seen her drawings before, and while she wasn't superb, she thought she did well. Ithilwen was about to ask why she wasn't speaking when Fiona did comment.

"Damn," the younger woman breathed.

"What? What's wrong with it?"

Fiona looked up from the drawing then at Ithilwen's confused expression. "Wrong? Wrong?! Hun, there is _nothing_ wrong with this!" She turned the sketchpad to face the elleth and asked, "So this is Legolas?"

Ithilwen nodded. Fiona could only reply with "Damn" again, which puzzled her. "Why do you keep saying that then, if there's nothing wrong with it?"

"Because this elf is gorgeous!" Fiona nearly shouted. "Have you looked at this guy?! Ithilwen, this is the elf that you've been seeing and talking to in your dreams? You lucky girl." She looked back down at the drawing and briefly wondered if all male elves in middle-earth looked like this, but she couldn't get past a swarm of tall elf men with Fabio-esque hair before her mind began to cloud over.

"How does that make me lucky?" Ithilwen had to snap her fingers to get Fiona's attention, whose gaze seemed miles away.

"I know you're not frigid my dear, but you can't stand there and tell me that he's not the most beautiful man you've ever seen!"

Ithilwen shrugged. "He's handsome, but I don't get what the big fuss is that you're making it out to be."

Fiona groaned, not unlike a grizzly bear. "Legolas makes Payne look like cow crap in comparison. Oh," she paused, distracted by the mortal's mention, "It's Valentine's Day. Does he have anything special planned?"

Ithilwen, used to her friend's quick changes in topic, scratched her head distractedly. "Actually, he called about an hour ago. He wants to take me out to dinner and I think we'll go to the movies afterwards."

"That sounds nice," Fiona nodded. "You don't sound very excited about it. Something wrong? You guys haven't been having problems, have you?"

The elleth shook her head quickly. "No, it's nothing like that. Things have been going rather well. I just don't understand the appeal of this holiday."

"It's a designated day to remind single people that they're single, a corporate candy endeavor, and for guys to buy their girls tons of flowers, chocolate, and stuffed animals so large they fill up the room. And pink. Lots and lots of pink." Fiona passed her the sketchbook. "But if I were you and had the option, I'd take dinner and a movie with someone like Legolas any day of the week!"

"Oh my god Fiona, we're just friends!"

* * *

><p>The blond slumped down into her office chair in exhaustion. "Being a cupid sucks on Valentine's Day," she mumbled.<p>

"I thought you guys thrived on this sort of thing."

The young woman turned in her seat to see the owner of the voice, and her heart skipped a beat. The lanky, white-haired ice elf was leaning on his staff looking bored. "What are you doing here, Jack?"

Jack Frost strolled further into the room and made himself comfortable on the edge of her large desk, feet dangling over the floor. "I'm in between snow days and I thought I'd come talk. Is that such a surprise, Icarus?" His expression was feigned hurt.

"I find it easier to believe that Bunnymund doesn't want you to ruin Easter again, since it's coming up soon," she replied. "And don't call me Icarus."

"How about Icchy?"

"Nope."

"Please?"

"Not on your life, Frost."

"I prefer Jack."

"Well I prefer Esther."

Jack stuck his tongue out at her, and uncharacteristically she replied in kind. Esther rubbed her forehead and stared at the seemingly endless pile of papers on her desk. This was always a nasty time of the year for hookups, breakups, and makeups.

"I love my job," she said suddenly, "Don't get me wrong, but there's days I wish I wasn't the Guardian of Pure Love."

The young man twirled his staff in his hands as he studied her. She looked rough, and that was putting it gently. He could see just how busy she had been lately by the circles under her eyes. "What do you wish you did, then?"

Esther tossed her hands up, defeated. "A lower position, I guess? An assistant? Something where I wasn't the director of the field, I suppose. I love that I can bring people happiness, but... It's the ugly side to my work that leaves a bad taste in my mouth." She looked over at him, catching his gaze. "The pitfalls of romance," she clarified. "I've witnessed more breakups leading up to today than I have last year, and the number that occur on this day are almost as bad as what I'll deal with tomorrow. I feel for these people, you know? Those that are so caught off guard by the news hurt the most, because many of them believe that they've found their forever..."

Jack hopped down off the desk and stood before Esther's chair. "You know what you need?"

"If you ask me to build a snowman Jack I swear to god-"

"No, no! I'm talking about a break from your work!" He pulled her up from the chair with ease, surprising given his slim build. "Let's go over to Tooth's. She said she missed you at the last meeting and wanted to hang out for a bit."

"I don't know, Jack," Esther hesitated. "I mean I've got all this work I need to file-"

"And it'll be there when you get back," he added. "Only for a couple hours, that's all I'm asking. You get away from your desk for a while and breathe actual air, then you come back with a fresh start and blow through it like I know you do."

Esther's cheeks warmed. "I'm not that bad!"

"Of course you are," Jack grinned, leading her to the door. "You wouldn't be you if you weren't."

* * *

><p>"Is something wrong?"<p>

Ithilwen's thoughts were muddled with a number of things, with the most recent being these new dreams when she had of Legolas. They were far from unpleasant, and over the past month the two elves had grown accustomed to the arrangement, going so far as to speak of their daily activities like old friends. With her naneth and sister out and about with their business, the dreams had helped fight off her loneliness. Payne's voice cut through them though, brining her back to the present.

"I'm sorry?"

"I asked if everything was alright. You seem kind of dazed this evening." Payne looked at her with concern.

Ithilwen shook her head slightly and forced a smile to her face. "It's nothing, I'm alright. There's just been a lot on my mind recently, that's all." She didn't realize that she was actually losing focus on the dinner they were engaged in. She wanted to speak to him about what was on her mind, but felt that the topic of dreaming of another male might end badly on a couple's holiday. It had been eating at her for days now; they were open with each other – well, him more than her – but she saw no reason to not tell him. It wasn't as if she was cheating on him in her dreams. Right?

Payne seemed to take her façade as the truth. "I was worried that I had picked a bad restaurant and that you didn't like the food," he smiled, taking her hand across the table and squeezing it. "I was thinking about the movie afterwards. The Palladium has that new witch movie, _Beautiful Creatures_. Would you like to see that one?"

"That one sounds interesting," she agreed with a more natural smile.

He grinned more. "Great, if you'll excuse me for just a moment, I'll go reserve our tickets for _Beautiful Creatures_." Payne rose from his seat, then added, "Of course, none of these 'beautiful creatures' will be as beautiful as you tonight."

Ithilwen attempted to laugh at his joke as he walked away, but when he was out of her sights, she groaned at the horrible joke he had made.

* * *

><p>It was nearly 11 that night when Ithilwen was brought home. Payne left her at the front door with a kiss and the promise of calling in a few days to get together and do something. She kicked off her heels before entering, wiggling her sore toes with each step she took. She found Fiona in the den eating a bowl of popcorn with the television playing an overly dramatic romantic comedy.<p>

"You're home," Fiona stated, turning her attention away from the television. "Somehow I figured you would be out later."

Ithilwen plopped down casually onto the couch beside her and stretched her legs. "What makes you say that?"

"I dunno," she shrugged. "You and Payne seem to be getting pretty close. I thought that maybe… well you know…" Fiona had no problems discussing intimacy, and from her tone, she wasn't far from being blunt about her comments.

"You must be joking," Ithilwen laughed. "Surely you remember what that level of a relationship means to elves?"

Fiona didn't say anything for a while, but then the realization dawned on her. "Ohhh. Right. Sorry. Wait, isn't that going to seem odd to Payne? You haven't told him the whole truth yet, have you?"

It was Ithilwen's turn to be silent. Fiona turned to face her sister directly only to see the troubled expression across her fair features. Ithilwen didn't have to answer, she decided. It was easy to see that she hadn't; that would require a lot of trust on his part not to go blabbing it around to his friends outside of Burgess. Fiona remembered how happy Ithilwen looked when she left to go on her date with the mortal, but now she was quiet and reserved about the matter. "Ithilwen?"

The elleth shook her head distractedly. "You're right Fiona. It's going to sound strange, but I don't even feel comfortable telling him that I'm immortal yet…and I'm not sure if I will ever be." She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I don't think he's keen on the fact that my ears are pointed," she mumbled.

"Do you see this going far? And what do you mean by that?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I don't foresee it going well no matter what I do. If I were to tell him, he could leave. If I don't, he could leave. If I do and he doesn't, he would still die one day, assuming we stayed together… and if we were married…."

"You would likely fade." Fiona nodded, understanding completely now. "But what was that about your ears?"

"Oh, that." Ithilwen snorted. "On our first date, do you remember? He asked me why I never fixed my 'deformity'. Said he wouldn't be able to go through life looking like that."

Fiona huffed indignantly, then smirked as a thought occurred to her. "I bet Legolas likes your ears."

Ithilwen rolled her eyes. "There is nothing going on there. We barely know each other, and are just now reaching a point where we can call ourselves friends. Besides, there's Payne to consider."

"Who is either a jerk for saying what he did or is completely dense when it comes to tact."

Grimacing, Ithilwen reached over and grabbed a handful of popcorn from Fiona's bowl. "I'm going to go with dense and a problem with corny humor." Shifting gears, she continued. "I've been thinking about telling Payne about my dreams; what do you think?"

Fiona shrugged, defeated. "That I don't know. Do you think if he accepts the idea of the dreams that he might be more open to hearing about your real deal?"

"Possibly, but I was thinking of just speaking of it in general to begin with. It's not like I can hide it much longer. He caught me spacing out at dinner tonight and thought that he did something wrong." Ithilwen continued to speak of the night's events to Fiona late into the night. When she retired to her room to sleep, she found that she had a dreamless sleep, disappointingly.

* * *

><p>In Lothlorien, the Fellowship's stay was nearing it's end. When Haldir was not out on patrol around the borders, he had been in counsel with the Lord and Lady of the Golden Woods. Each time he left feeling more frustrated. Now that he knew that his beloved and child were alive and safe, he desperately wanted to bring them back to middle-earth. For the first years after their disappearance, he had thrown himself into his duties to avoid the emotional turmoil of not knowing their whereabouts and potentially fading.<p>

This new information made the grief return, but unlike before, he had something to look forward to. However, the halt of the Fellowship's journey had left him antsy, desperately wanting to take the ring from the hobbit and throw it into Mount Doom himself just so he could venture into the other realm and reunite with his family. On the other hand, there was a bonus to their lack of plans to Mordor, and it lie within the Prince of Mirkwood.

Legolas wasn't expecting the marchwarden to approach him one afternoon with a determined look in his eye. He had been surprised to learn that his friend had a family, but could understand the grief of the subject being brought up. He was floored when he learned that the maiden he was meeting during his sleep was the granddaughter of Celeborn and Galadriel. But since that first meeting that afternoon, Haldir had sought Legolas out to inquire about his daughter, in hopes that he could learn about her and the woman she had become.

"How is she?" Haldir started their conversation that evening after the meal. The two had separated from the group and trekked through the forest.

"She is well," Legolas began. "She spoke to me of today being a special occasion in the mortal land that she resides."

"Oh?"

"She told me it is called 'Valentine's Day'. It is a day where traditionally couples bestow gifts to each other as signs of affection. Ithilwen told me that she does not understand the appeal of numerous pink hearts, but that the women of the land seem to expect them."

"Hearts?" Haldir was confused. What sort of culture was Morwen raising their child in that celebrated an event with hearts?

"They are not like the actual organ, I've been told." Legolas clarified. "Ithilwen does not seem like the type of elleth that expects such gratuitous gifts."

Haldir smiled. "She is a princess. She should be treated as such, and I will see to it when she returns that she is." He then frowned. "What of this mortal that is attempting to court her? Is he treating her well?"

Legolas sighed. He knew that Haldir would inquire about the mortal boy. The marchwarden had been insistent on learning of his actions around Ithilwen as well but during the first talk about Payne, Legolas could tell from Haldir's silence that he didn't approve. From the description that Ithilwen gave him, Legolas did not care much for the boy's behavior either, but he chose not to speak of the matter. Not that she would say much unless he goaded her into talking about him, even if the name left an unpleasant taste in his mouth when he spoke it. That was weird, and logically uncalled for, Legolas knew; the problem was he didn't know why he felt this way. He tried to steer his thoughts towards giving the boy the benefit of the doubt, since the two world's culture's obviously clashed. "For the most part, yes."

"Explain."

The prince inwardly cringed at the tone. "Ithilwen spoke to me of his mannerisms many times. She has told me that she believes he speaks before he thinks his words through-"

"What did he say to my daughter?"

Their walk had come to a stop by this point and Haldir looked downright furious. Legolas decided not to beat around the bush and cut to what he wanted to hear. "He asked Ithilwen why she never had her ears rounded off as if she were from the race of Man. I do not believe that she has told him of her true self, for fear that he will abandon her."

"It would be better for my daughter if she were to end the relationship with this… boy," Haldir spat. The thought of her defacing herself for anyone was absolutely ludicrous. That a mortal would suggest such an act clearly showed his ignorance for natural beauty. "My daughter will not do such a thing to her body to please that mortal! Morwen would see to it herself; where has she been when this boy is around our daughter?" Really, where was she?

Legolas watched the marchwarden begin to pace to calm his nerves. "Ithilwen has told me that each time this boy comes to their home to call on her, Lady Morwen is not available. It seems that he is going out of his way to avoid her."

Haldir snorted uncharacteristically. "As well as he should. He had better be praising whatever higher power he prays to that I cannot do anything until this war is over." His mate could be just as deadly with a blade as himself. Even if she was unequipped with a proper sword, he knew she could wield a kitchen knife with the same skill.

"From our discussions, I do not believe that Ithilwen will stay with the boy. She has asked me for advice on what she should do, but I cannot offer anything that would not leave her upset. I do not wish to see her hurt, but it may come to it where she has to make a decision that she cannot avoid."

The marchwarden returned to stand before the prince. Clapping him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, he said "Let us hope that she does the right thing before it comes to that."

"I will do my best to help your daughter in any way that I can," Legolas offered. "This Payne would not know what to think if I could get to him for his disgraceful words against her."

Smiling once more, Haldir spoke. "For that, my friend, I thank you."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** Have a good Halloween? Get lots of candy? :) I stayed home (again lol), ordered a pizza, gorged on caramel rice krispie treats and storebought candy while playing some indie horror games.

Some bits and pieces were adjusted like usual, but the biggest change is the outright introduction of Esther and her work. Given that she's an OC, her part in the story is slowly coming to light and how she interacts with everyone. That's why I'm eternally grateful to CountingSinfulStars for letting me use her character again, because it is so much fun to write her and see how she ticks!


	8. Chapter 8

Two days later, it was time for the remaining members of the Fellowship to continue their journey. Boromir was determined in his argument about taking the path through Minas Tirith, but Aragorn would have none of it. This led to some tenseness between the two, but no one noticed anything different, as Boromir appeared on edge throughout their entire stay in the Golden Woods.

Galadriel had bestowed each of them with gifts that she felt would benefit their individual paths while other elves corralled boats to transport them down the river. Legolas was gifted with a new quiver of arrows and a bow from Galadriel, and while he had looked at it in wonder as a child would a new toy, his fascination was cut short when she presented him with another, much smaller package. All she told him was that it was sent by his mother personally. When the receiving of items commenced, Celeborn pulled Aragorn off to the side to speak with him privately as the boats were being loaded with supplies.

Legolas, having stacked packages in the boat that Merry and Pippin were seated in, extracted a piece of lembas. "Lembas. Elvish waybread. One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man." Merry and Pippin nodded in understanding. As he turned to continue packing the boats he heard their mumbled conversation.

"How many did you eat?" Merry asked.

"Four." Pippin replied, with a strange gurgling coming from his small stomach shortly after.

Legolas had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing at the halfling's misunderstanding.

* * *

><p>"I must speak with you before you depart," Haldir stated.<p>

Legolas placed the last pack in the closest boat and nodded, turning to follow the marchwarden out of hearing distance. "Somehow, I knew you would."

"I must thank you, for speaking to me of Ithilwen and Morwen," Haldir began. "It has been many winters since I was last able to think comforting thoughts as to my wife and daughter's whereabouts."

"Think nothing of it, mellon nin. I am happy to be able to ease your mind on the matter, if nothing else."

"Be that as it may, I must ask a favor of you."

Legolas nodded, signaling for Haldir to continue. He wasn't sure what good he could do, as he was also bound by the restrictions of the war, as well as his commitment to assist Frodo.

Haldir paused, not sure of how to begin. "However this connection between you and my daughter appeared, please do not let it vanish. I still fear for her safety in that world, especially when it concerns that mortal boy courting her. If she can help us decipher her location through these dreams, then perhaps we could find them once this war has ceased. I do not wish them to stay there any longer than they have to; as it is I have missed my only child growing to maturity. I want her to be among her people once more. Please watch over her for me, Legolas, for I cannot, and I would not trust this task with any other."

The prince was surprised by the words. Haldir was clearly protective of his daughter, even if she was a world away, and for him to admit his trust in Legolas was almost unheard of. After all, Haldir's lord and his own adar didn't see eye to eye. "You have my word, Haldir. I will do all that I can to watch over Ithilwen and keep contact. She has steadily become a friend over the past month, and I wish nothing more than to meet her in person."

"That day will come, prince. Have faith that the hobbit can destroy the ring, and we will both go to collect them." With this discussion coming to an end, they proceeded back to the boats. "One more inquiry, if I may. Will you describe her to me once more?"

Legolas smiled. When Haldir had approached him the first time after the council with the Lord and Lady, that was the first question that he'd asked. The elf knew that the marchwarden hadn't forgotten, but he chose to humor him regardless, since it was not determined when the two would cross paths again. "She is a beautiful maiden," he began. "Her hair is long and her eyes are green. She carries herself with grace, although it is amusing to watch her meander about in the gowns that she wears in the dreams. Ithilwen is not a wisp of an elleth, either in body or in mind. I believe that you would be proud of what she has become."

The marchwarden smiled upon the recital. "It sounds as if she takes after my beloved Morwen. Thank you, my friend. I shall keep this memory of your stay with me until we meet again."

It was with a heavy heart that Haldir watched the one link he had to his mate and child drift down the river in one of the loaned boats, with of all creatures a dwarf. That was as strange as the connection Ithilwen seemingly shared with the prince, but it seemed that new ground had been broken in many areas during the Fellowship's rest in the golden woods. He would often see them venturing across the city side by side, and if he closed his eyes he could almost picture his daughter in the dwarf's place. Was that how he and Ithilwen were in the dreams? He hoped so.

A light whisper crossed the depths of his mind, and the marchwarden knew that it was his Lady and mother-in-law that was reaching out to him. 'The quest to destroy the ring should be our priority,' she told him solemnly. She normally didn't read his thoughts out of courtesy, but he must have been blaring them that day.

'I know this, my Lady,' he responded, knowing now that she was listening. 'It does not make things any easier to bear, I am afraid. My family is where I cannot reach them, and my faith is resting on a suicide mission to Mordor.' He didn't blame Frodo for this evil ring - after all he didn't create it; he just hated the thought that a small piece of jewelry was keeping him from his family.

'Frodo understands the implications of what must be done, more than anyone else,' Galadriel continued. 'I believe that he can withstand the temptation to succumb to the darkness of the ring and destroy it.'

Despite speaking to her through his thoughts, Haldir nearly came out of his skin when she placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned slightly to meet her gaze, and while she stood beside him with the ethereal grace of a ruling Lady, he also saw the hints of sadness in her eyes that was only shown to a rare few.

"I know that it is much to ask of you, Haldir," she spoke aloud, "but you must keep your faith. Times are turning darker, I fear, but even in the darkest hours of the night there remains a light of hope. Do not lose sight of that, and we will see the rays of sun return with the birth of the new day."

* * *

><p>"You plan to open that package, Master Elf?" The mystery parcel from Mirkwood had been puzzling the dwarf since Legolas had set it in their boat, and now that they had set up camp, he felt that it was as good a time as any to see what lay inside.<p>

"Why do you sound so curious?" Legolas asked casually. "Surely your father told you about his adventures within our halls? I wouldn't think anything from my homeland would interest you much."

"True. Me father did say you called me a goblin mutant," Gimli laughed at the tense expression on the elf's face. "But what caught my curiosity is the look you had when the Lady Galadriel handed it to you. I would think a parcel from home would ease your mind!"

Legolas looked slightly pained as he reached into his pack and extracted the brown package. "Normally yes, however it coming from my home, the contents could be anything." He decided to hell with it and began to until its wrappings. "On the other hand, Lady Galadriel said that my naneth had sent it personally, and thus it can not be that horrifying..."

Gimli, as did many of the others in their group - albeit sneakily, watched as Legolas set the wrappings aside to reveal folded parchment and a cloth drawstring bag. Wordlessly, Legolas unfolded the parchment and skimmed its contents, paling slightly as his brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you sure it's nothing terrible, laddie?" Gimli asked.

"It is a letter from home," Legolas said distractedly. "My naneth speaks of many things in it, including my adar's disproval with Lord Elrond for agreeing to my enlistment in the quest. He feels that I would be better suited in our lands, but my naneth has been convincing him otherwise." He looked up at Gimli, "My sister is the guard Captain and is more than adequate in defending our kingdom and leadership. My adar is simply set in habit." Looking back at the letter, he lifted up the drawstring bag in his hands. "She also felt it prudent that I have this in my possession," Legolas continued, "though how it will help on this quest is beyond my comprehension."

"What is it?" Aragorn asked, not even pretending to not be nosy anymore. Legolas knew they were all listening; he had heard their shift in movement when Gimli first asked about the package.

Legolas untied the bag and opened it slowly, retrieving a long mithril chain that held a ring. It was silver in make, its band composed of vines and leaves that wrapped around the emerald stone in the center. "It is a family heirloom," he explained. "One that is passed down to the elleth in our family, I think. Naneth wrote in her letters that she felt that it was time that I had possession of the ring."

"What are you to do with a female's ring?" Boromir asked incredulously. It wasn't meant to insult his mother's judgment of course, but then again this may have been another elven peculiarity he wasn't familiar with.

"According to the letter, give it to whom my heart feels deserves it." Legolas found himself shrugging. Really? Where in middle-earth was he supposed to find this person, especially when he was an aide on the quest to destroy an evil ring?!

* * *

><p>"How you hanging in there, Mom?" Fiona asked from the kitchen. Morwen was sitting at the dining room table with Esther, another Guardian that had become a regular to drop-in at the house. They had all found out from Ithilwen that this Legolas guy was in their homeland with his traveling companions. Apparently they had been led into the city by Ithilwen's father, Haldir.<p>

Morwen, having gotten this piece of news before her first cup of coffee, had nearly missed her chair as she sat down. She didn't faint, but she didn't scream and get excited either. In fact, she seemed rather relieved about the whole thing in Fiona's opinion. It wasn't until her mother explained that she feared he would fade out of grief that she better understood the situation. 'Somehow I doubt this dude would go that easily,' she thought to herself as she flipped the pancake on the griddle. 'If he's anything like Ithilwen it'd take much more than that to break him.' She was happy to hear that Ithilwen's father was alive and well, but a small part of her was unsettled at the same time. What would he think of her? Would he even accept her? What about when they found a way to Burgess, what then?

Little did she know, but Morwen was having similar thoughts. Ithilwen didn't have time to go into details, as she had to go to the Bennet house to watch the children, so the older woman didn't know how much Haldir knew about their current arrangements. She didn't know if he knew about Fiona, or how they had adjusted to the modern times, or even the fact that she was working. Her biggest concern was her youngest child and what possible outcomes there could be when Haldir met her. She wasn't worried about Bernard, and although she had unofficially taken him in as her son, she worried about the little mortal with the mysterious background that was cooking breakfast.

Morwen felt Ester nudge her arm to get her attention, bringing her back to Fiona's question. "I'm still processing it all," she replied.

"I imagine this is a lot to handle," Esther murmured. Two days before when Jack had taken her out for an impromptu break from work, she had been ecstatic to be in his presence for more than the span of a few words. But when she got back to her office and began to work, the feeling of sadness had washed over her like a tidal wave. It wasn't fair. The few hours they had shared together, and not one glimmer of recognition did she see in his eyes. Esther was beginning to wonder if Tooth had all of his memories, or if they had somehow been compromised when Pitch tried to take control.

Fiona set a plate down before the blonde guardian. "You look down, Es. You okay?"

"It's nothing really-"

"Nonsense," Morwen thanked Fiona for her plate. "I've seen both of my girls get that look. Something is on your mind, because you're not your cheerful self."

"Well..." Esther didn't want to name names, but both women expected her to talk. "It's like this. When I was a human, I was engaged to be married to a boy my age."

"I'd say that seems young, but I keep forgetting when you were human," Fiona stated.

"It was normal at the time," Esther conceded. "Still, we were very much in love, and while I didn't have a ring, it was inevitable. But...there was an accident, and I lost him. I passed away from heartache almost a year after. I just couldn't take it."

"But how are you handling it now?" Morwen asked, "Unless-"

"He has been reborn," Esther nodded. "But he doesn't remember me. He only knows me as I am now. I see him every so often, and to not be recognized is pure torture. I know that there is a chance that he may never remember me, but I don't know how to handle that."

Morwen took a sip of her coffee before she responded. "I don't think you give yourself enough credit there. You are very strong and capable, Esther. Things can turn around. You just have to keep faith. I know one day I will see my husband again. There's no telling when, but I have to believe that it will happen."

Esther smiled slightly. "Yeah," she murmured to herself. "Just keep my faith."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** I pretty much rewrote this chapter simply because it was so short originally. It's still short, and it's filler, so I'm sorry to those of you that want the story to get moving. For those of you that wanted to see more of the other characters, here you go! There were some points that needed to be addressed that were either glossed over or skipped entirely, such as Legolas' reaction to his mother's letter, Morwen's to learning of where the fellowship is, and how Haldir's handling watching the only link to his family leave.

Also, any updates to Lead Me Home may be slow this month because I'm taking part in Nanowrimo again. I'm using it as an excuse to get out those later scenes I've been wanting to write, so if I don't 'officially' win it's still a win in that I got a draft. :) And the ideas for this one are rolling in quicker too, so that's also hindering it. ;)


	9. Chapter 9

A week and two dates later, Ithilwen was beginning to consider her idea of talking to Payne about the dreams more seriously. He was still spouting cornball compliments that Fiona crowed in laughter over, but he hadn't given her any reason to rethink the idea. In a way, she knew the relationship wasn't going to go anywhere, but she couldn't bring herself to come upfront about it. Maybe he wasn't clever when it came to admiration, and maybe he was tactless when it came to common sense, but Payne had treated her very well in the time that they had been together. When it would come to the point that the relationship could go no further, she just hoped that they could part ways as friends.

"Isn't it strange?" Fiona asked, looking out the front window to see the familiar car drive up. Payne was in the driver's seat, and from her angle, could only see that he was fiddling with something in the front seat.

"Is what strange?" Ithilwen had entered the dining room toting her small purse. Payne was taking her to some cafe that he thought she would like for brunch.

"Strange that your boyfriend decides to appear only after Mom left to meet with the developers." The strawberry blond turned in her seat to face her.

"What are you talking about? He called saying that he was running late because he had to stop by the gas station."

"And you believe that?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Ithilwen raised her eyebrow.

Fiona shot up from her seat and scuttled over to Ithilwen. "Please tell me that his denseness is not rubbing off on you." She leaned in, though with her elvish hearing, Ithilwen knew it was just in gesture. "The dude knew that Mom was home today. He called to let you know he was on his way, but he asked if Mom was still home first. When you told him she was, he made up that lame excuse. Payne's going out of his way to avoid meeting Mom, and she knows it. That's why she left earlier than she needed to-" A knock on the front door stopped Fiona from finishing what she wanted to say.

Ithilwen looked her sister in the eye and assured her that he was just nervous about meeting parents, and that if Haldir were there it would be the same. Giving her a hug, she went out the front door to greet the mortal with a hug and quick kiss.

Fiona watched him lead her to the car and hold the door open for her as she got in before moving to the driver's side. The car started up once more and eased out of the driveway, then sped down the street. She continued to watch even after the car was no longer within her sight. She knew that there was something strange about Payne's behavior, but she couldn't figure out if it was because of who Ithilwen's mother was or what she was. Morwen had picked up on the peculiarity as well, but chose to let the boy approach her on his own, though it was with great restraint. All Fiona knew was that she would have rather had the elf Ithilwen conversed with in her dreams over the company of Payne now. She was beginning to like him more and more. It just sucked that a war was keeping them from finding a way to her world, even if it would mean that Ithilwen and Morwen would leave. Fiona would rather they be happy than to keep them where they didn't belong.

* * *

><p>Of all the places that Payne had chosen to take Ithilwen, he had to pick the girliest cafe in the state.<p>

Don't misunderstand Ithilwen, she could appreciate feminine things, but there's a point where a line has been crossed, and whoever designed the establishment had a doily bomb go off. The pink accents on nearly everything wasn't doing much to help, either. She sighed, looking around the place with hidden displeasure. Payne had chosen this place because he felt that she would like it, and she didn't want to let him down this early into the day. At least he had chosen them a table outside the cafe, away from ground zero of the pink confectionary decorations.

Knowing that he was trying to please her – even if he was way off the mark – didn't help the thoughts she had about the future. The more that she lingered on the what-ifs, the harder it would be when she finally got the nerve to have the ultimate discussion. She lifted her mug and took a sip of her coffee, suddenly inspired to breach another topic, one that would give her a better idea of how he'd react later on.

"Payne, when you dream, do you ever remember what you dream about?" Better to start out slow and work up to it, she reasoned.

The mortal leaned back in his chair and looked up at the clear sky, humming in thought. "Sometimes, but when I do the details don't stay around long enough for me to make sense of it. Do you?"

Ithilwen hugged the warm mug in her hands for support. Payne couldn't see it, but her hands held the slightest tremble, either from anticipation or nervousness. "Yes," she began, "Some of my dreams as of late have been more clear, but by midday most of the details have blurred."

"What brought this on?" he asked. "You haven't been having nightmares or anything, have you?" Then he grinned. "Or is it that you can't get enough of me when you're awake, so you dream of me instead?"

If he was expecting Ithilwen to blush or stutter like one of his previous girlfriends, he was disappointed. On the contrary, she outright laughed. It wasn't mocking his words, and he found it a gentle, pretty laugh, but a part of his joking around held some seriousness to it that she missed.

"It's nothing like that!" she struggled to get her laughter under control before she continued. "Actually, I've been dreaming about a person that I've never met before."

"Really? Have you seen them around Burgess?" He wasn't expecting that answer.

"No… no, when I dream of this person, he's usually in the woods, but I haven't seen any of the locations around here. They seem more…natural than what I am accustomed to seeing. It's peaceful, compared to the city."

"_Him_?" Payne repeated, not catching half of the rest of her description. "You're dreaming about some _guy_?!"

Ithilwen blinked, surprised by his change of tone. "Like I said, I've never seen him before, so it's probably a figment of my imagination," she half-lied, half-reasoned. She knew for a fact that Legolas was real, but she couldn't very well tell Payne that now, not after his reaction minutes before. "It could just be those fantasy video games that I've been playing, pay no mind to it."

Payne sat back once more, bristling in his seat. He didn't like the idea of his girlfriend dreaming of some other guy, much less one her imagination created. She was supposed to dream about him and no one else! He had to calm himself; he brought Ithilwen out to brunch, it was supposed to be nice.

Ithilwen had reclined back into her seat and took another drink of her coffee, observing him. 'Okay,' she thought, 'that plan was shot to hell. Better change the subject...' "You know, I remember back in my humanities course there was a discussion about finding evidence of extraterrestrial life. It was almost as fascinating as the three-day debate we had in biology over the topic of intelligent design and evolution."

He relaxed more, used to hearing her discuss past school work. "And what side of the discussion did you stand on?" Payne found out quickly that Ithilwen was very opinionated, and if the topic had caught her interest, her passion really shined through.

Ithilwen smiled. "I said – and I still believe – that as a race of beings we simply don't have the technology at the present to find any evidence of extraterrestrial life on this planet or in outer space."

The mortal frowned. "So you don't believe that aliens exist?"

"That's not true. I do believe they exist, but we don't have the equipment or the power to go out far enough into the universe to document any evidence and still survive the journey. We're not even close to reaching one-tenth the speed of light, and even with a surge of advancements, there is still mortality to consider."

"What makes you think we would have to go so far out to find anything?"

Ithilwen frowned then. "The Drake equation."

"If I remember right, that tells us how many civilizations are out there in our galaxy." He remembered hearing about it when she talked science with his friends, and had even googled the equation on her phone to show him at the time. Of course to Payne, it all looked Greek.

She had to resist the urge to sigh right then. "The Drake equation is an estimate of the number of potential civilizations that could sustain life in our galaxy, and if you will remember, our galaxy is fairly large." The elleth made sure to put emphasis on the words 'estimate', 'potential', and 'could'. "As it stands, any possible evidence could be several hundred light years away. And for reference, just one light year is almost 6 trillion miles. Depending on how fast our best shuttles could go to match the speed of light, it might take anywhere between 100 years at best to 40,000!"

Payne laughed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but Ithilwen… you couldn't be more wrong."

"Excuse me?"

"The math is against you. Everyday man is becoming more advanced, thereby debunking your belief that we won't find aliens. The Drake equation-"

"The Drake equation is an estimate at best!" Ithilwen's voice rose an octave in anger. "It doesn't matter how many times you plug the numbers into the formula! Each variable is an estimation because there is no documented proof that the records can't change! You speak of advancement, well the earth is changing as well! What's to say that the universe isn't? Any attempts to record a life-sustaining mass cann't be done from this distance because we have to anticipate the possibility that the mass might not be there the next time we look! Besides, the Drake equation ESTIMATES _POTENTIAL_ civilizations that we _MIGHT_ be able to make contact with! Had we been near one of these civilizations, don't you think our satellites would have picked up on the foreign radio signals by now?!"

It was all Ithilwen could do to stay in her seat. Her knuckles were gripping the mug so hard they were turning white, and she didn't have to look around to see that their argument had attracted an audience of eavesdroppers. Not that she cared.

Payne, for his credit, had not spoken once during her rant, even to interrupt. Unlike her, he did care that he was being stared at, and from the proud smiles of the women nearby, he knew that she had won the argument. He watched her warily, her grip on the mug finally loosening and her body relax back into the seat. "Alright. Alright, you believe what you want to believe," he spoke in what he thought was a calming tone. "I still think you're wrong, but alright." Glancing about he asked, "So, uh… where would you like to go next?"

Ithilwen had drained the remaining contents of her mug in an ungraceful manner, not really caring about politeness. Right then she wished the coffee had been straight liquor. She was baffled that this mortal had the gall to still tell her that she was wrong. She had learned that the most he knew about academics were from his friend's college textbooks – he never felt the need to attend anything beyond high school. At his question, she wanted to chuck the mug at his face in frustration, but held back. That outburst had left her drained. "Actually," she began, "I'm not feeling very well today. If it's alright with you, I think I need to go home and rest it off."

Payne looked surprised. "Are you sure? It's a beautiful day out-" Seeing her shake her head, he rose from his seat. "Alright, I'll take you home," and left to go pay the bill. He missed the open look of upset that crossed her elven features.

Had he seen it, he probably would have thought it was because she didn't fee well, not because of how hurt she was that he wouldn't listen to her point of view. But then, should she have been surprised? The men in her humanities course had done everything but toss her on the grill in their responses to her views - and that week's topic was intentionally controversial. Exhaling, she resigned herself to the knowledge that the men in this world would always get the last word in, whether it was right or wrong.

* * *

><p>Esther chewed her lip in thought as she watched the scene at the cafe play out before her on the monitor's screen. It seemed that Project Sailor Moon had hit a bump, or rather a series of potholes. The boy clearly didn't know when to shut up, and for once he had met a girl who wouldn't simply agree with him. Interesting.<p>

She felt weird observing one of her close friends' relationships, but she most certainly wasn't going to allow one of her coworkers to oversee this case. 'Definitely not Lust,' she thought. 'Lust doesn't care for the implications of what sex means to these kinds of elves. No, it's better I saw this one crop up when I did, even if it is strange. And yet I can't help but wonder about Ithilwen's dreams of her homeland...'

When the screen blipped out to darkness, Esther continued to sit and stare as if it were still playing out before her. She tapped the pen in her hand to her chin as she pondered over what she had learned from Fiona. Ithilwen had made contact with an elf from her world in her dreams, and as long as she concentrated, she could reach out to him. Could this elf do the same? What more was there to the connection they had? Furthermore, could anything be done to build a bridge between worlds?

'On second thought, I think this Legolas fellow is a far more interesting character than the mortal.' Esther rose, collecting her notes on her friend's case as she went. She needed to speak to someone with a little more knowledge about these kinds of links. If there were something she could do to improve the situation, then she was going to try.

* * *

><p>"You're home? I thought Payne was taking you out for the day? Did something happen? Oh wait, did he happen to catch sight of Mom, then turn tail and run like a scared squirrel?" Fiona laughed at her own joke, but when she got no response from Ithilwen she looked up. "What's wrong?"<p>

The elleth sunk down into the seat on the couch and pulled her knees up to herself. Finally she spoke. "Nothing…no, that's a lie. Everything."

"I don't understand."

"I brought up the dreams with Legolas."

Fiona winced from the flat tone. "And I take it didn't go well?"

"Nope. He got angry because I mentioned that it was a guy; I didn't even bother to try continuing. He probably wouldn't have believed me anyway."

"What makes you say that?"

Ithilwen turned her head to look at Fiona. "Do you remember the extraterrestrial existence discussion forum?"

Fiona nodded. "Yeah, that got pretty brutal there towards the end."

"Stupid me thought that would be a good change in topic. He laughed at my explanations and told me that I was wrong; that the math was against me. I tried to explain to him why I wasn't wrong in my reasoning, and all he said was that I could believe what I wanted, even if it was wrong."

"That sonofabitch," Fiona hissed through her teeth. "What the hell does he know? From what his friends told me, he just squeaked by in order to graduate high school!"

Ithilwen waved her emerging tirade off. "Look, don't bother getting worked up over it. I'm beginning to accept the fact that he's a stump on some matters."

"But you shouldn't have to!" Fiona protested. "No one deserves that kind of treatment!" She shifted in her seat, sliding closer to her to put an arm around her shoulders in comfort. "Look, since you won't let me pound him into pulp three ways from Sunday, at least let me get this out. The more I hear about Payne, the more I regret setting you up that blind date. His friends have told me that he is impossibly set in his ways about the world, and unfortunately that means he thinks he's king and that women are supposed to fall to their knees before him. Since you don't do that, he's using his ego to bring you down, even though you're right. I haven't heard of him being physical with any of his past relationships, but I'm still worried about you."

"You know that I can defend myself," Ithilwen cut in.

"I do, and in that case I fear for him," she laughed. "But I worry about your emotions. I don't want to see this jerk break your heart, even if you don't actually love him." Fiona didn't speak for a minute. "You know what it's going to come to, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm just not ready for it to get there yet."

* * *

><p>She was on a river embankment this time. The water was a calming distraction from the mess that the day had started out to be. At least Ithilwen was beginning to get used to the overly long gown now.<p>

"You seem distressed," Legolas stated, coming to stand beside her. "Has your day not been well?"

Ithilwen shook her head. "It was downright awful. How did you know that I was upset?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I could feel it here," he replied, placing a hand over his heart. "When we set off in the boats once more this morning, things were fine; but as our passage approached midday I felt hurt and anger, yet I could not place the cause for such emotions. It was not until we stopped for the evening that I realized that it must have been your feelings."

"So there's a new level of empathy between our worlds?"

"It would appear so."

Ithilwen was surprised by that piece of news. She shouldn't have been, considering that she was sent to another world by magic, but she decided not to dwell on what else this new information could imply. Or rather, Legolas didn't give her the chance, as he asked her again what had upset her. Ithilwen wasn't sure she wanted to tell him, but she knew that he knew that something was wrong, and he wouldn't relent until she came forward. A small part of her was afraid that he would get mad at her if she withheld any longer, and she wasn't sure if she could deal with that.

"Payne took me out for the day, and we stopped at this shop to eat breakfast." Her voice didn't sound as enthusiastic as it should have been.

"I thought that you enjoyed your time with Payne?" Legolas asked. He masked his features so that she would not see the anxiousness he was feeling. Did this mortal do something improper? Or had Ithilwen chosen a new opinion of the boy?

Ithilwen nodded halfheartedly. "Normally, yes. But today, today… we had an argument." And she launched into the details of the heated conversation. Unlike Payne, who would content himself with checking his phone during a talk he found boring, Legolas gave her his full attention. He didn't know anything about extraterrestrial life forms or evolution, but she found herself amazed by his ability to listen. 'Maybe Fiona's right,' she thought. Ithilwen noticed that by the end of her story, his blank expression had turned into a deep frown.

"That boy was out of line to insinuate that you were wrong," Legolas stated in a near growl. "I will admit that I did not understand the things that you explained to me, but I would not be so foolish to claim that you were wrong because I did not know better."

"It's a patriarchal society, Legolas. Women are still considered second-class by some men in this world, even though they've advanced so far."

"That is no excuse. Men in middle-earth, mortal or immortal, know to respect the women in their culture and beyond as an unspoken rule. This boy had best hope that he is not within my sights when this war is over."

She fought hard to suppress the shiver at those words. Legolas meant business, and Eru help the boy if he caught him. "Don't bother getting worked up over it," Ithilwen said. "I'm not sure how much longer this relationship is going to continue."

"How do you mean?" Legolas really hoped his voice didn't come off with any hint of excitement by the statement. It would greatly please Haldir to learn that she had walked away from this mortal's attentions.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ithilwen laughed. "He's gonna die one day, and my home isn't in this world. Fiona said it best when she pointed out that I don't love him."

Legolas wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, but he had to ask. "What do you feel for him?"

"I…I don't know." The realization surprised Ithilwen. "I like him alright, and he has made me happy but… it's not the kind of happy that I should have in a relationship. Right now, in my sleep and in these dream meetings with you, I'm happier than any of my past dates with Payne. Is that wrong of me?"

The elf was shocked to hear her admission. He enjoyed the meetings as well, because it gave him a distraction from the stress of the waking hours, even for a short time. With each day he looked forward to being able to travel with Haldir to this world to bring her and Morwen back home. After a moment he replied, "No, you are not wrong. You are aware of where you stand in the situation; had you carried stronger feelings for him it might have been different. Have you decided the course that you need to take with the boy?"

"Uh huh," she sighed. "I'm just not looking forward to it." Ithilwen knew that it would come to her ending the relationship, but with Payne's attitude earlier that day it wouldn't make it hard to call it quits. She would rather separate on some level as friends than to have a drawn out fight, but making the decision on when to bring the topic to light would be difficult.

Legolas decided not to press her on the matter, aware that she was still sorting her thoughts out. He knew Haldir would be pleased to hear the news, once he was in a position to send post to Lothlorien. Speaking of which… He felt inside the pocket of his leggings to find the small drawstring bag he had received before they departed. Was it right? He looked to Ithilwen, who was staring out at the water, not paying attention to anything around her. Stretching the opening of the bag, he decided that now was a good a time as any. "Ithilwen, I have something for you."

The elleth turned her head to look at him quizzically. "What?"

Legolas extracted a necklace from the drawstring bag, now left discarded in his lap. "Before we left Lothlorien, I was given this by Lady Galadriel. It was sent from my home, at my mother's request." He held the necklace up in the light for her to see. The chain was a simple metal that shined as brightly as the pendant that hung from it.

Ithilwen leaned closer to look at the necklace. What she thought upon first glance as a pendant was actually a ring. The band was of the same metal as the chain, and wrapped in an intricate pattern of leaves and vines sat a cut emerald. "It's beautiful, Legolas."

He smiled. "I am glad to hear that you approve, because I want you to have it."

"What?!" That part she missed. "I-I couldn't, Legolas!"

"My mother gave me specific instructions to give this to the elleth that I felt deserved it," he explained. "I can think of no other elleth in middle-earth or beyond that is more deserving. I want you to have it."

Ithilwen was stumped. Why her? Surely there were more deserving ellith that would give an arm or a leg to get such a precious gift. She didn't feel that she was worthy and tried to explain this much to Legolas, but he refused to take no for an answer, eventually witling her down into accepting the necklace. She had to suppress another shiver when he moved her hair to the side to lock the clasp because his light touch tickled the exposed skin. 'That's weird,' she thought to herself as she pushed her hair back. 'I don't remember my neck being ticklish before.' "I still don't understand why you chose to give this to me," Ithilwen said, fingering the ring lightly, "but thank you, Legolas."

Legolas smiled. "In time you will understand why you deserve such a treasure." He hoped by that time he would understand why his mother had sent it to him in the first place. Miraear's letter, while lengthy, did nothing but confuse the ellon more. Yet, as he watched Ithilwen examine the ring that hung about her neck, he knew in his heart that it was meant for her. He just wasn't sure why, exactly.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ithilwen managed to wake before her alarm went off. She grabbed the clock as she rolled out of the bed and swiftly shut it off before heading to the bathroom in a brisk walk. The night's dream meeting by the water did nothing to calm her protesting bladder, especially after drinking a large glass before bed.<p>

One need satisfied, her stomach began to wake as well, telling her of its intentions to eat. Before she left the bathroom however, something shiny reflected off the mirror causing her to stop and double back.

The necklace.

'So it wasn't just a dream thing,' she thought briefly. Ithilwen fingered the jewelry as she observed her reflection, a smile beginning to form on her face. Now she had undeniable proof, squashing any paranoid doubts in her mind about the whole scenario. She still thought him nuts to give her of all people something like this, but he would not let her decline his gift. While wondering what she could give him in return, she heard the shouts of Fiona come from the foot of the stairs.

"Ithilwen! You awake yet? Breakfast is almost ready so get your immortal butt moving!"

"Coming!" Came the short reply. Ithilwen looked back at herself once more in the mirror before leaving her room with a smile on her face. The day before may have started out bad, but the night more than made up for it. Now, she knew what she had to do about Payne, and while she still wasn't sure how she would go about it, she felt more at peace with the decision.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** In carrying over my notes from the original story, the extra terrestrial discussion Ithilwen and Payne had was pulled from a humanities course, and the youtuber Martymer81 has a set of videos for those interested. Just search 'UFOs: The Introduction' and 'UFOs: The Evidence'. And if you want to feel better about your current math class, google The Drake Equation and thank the gods you don't have to solve that. Unless you do, which you know, good luck with that.

And this is entirely irrelevant to the chapter, but when Ithilwen referenced her biology course discussion on evolution, someone in my class had asked "Why do men have nipples?" and our instructor couldn't find an answer (or he wouldn't give us one). But I do have the answer, and it's kinda interesting! An embryo begins as female, and it isn't until about 60 days into the pregnancy before the gender is established. So when it's determined if a Y-chromosome is present to form change the genetic makeup of the fetus, the nipples are pretty much stuck there. Studies have said that if they were harmful, natural selection would have removed them long ago.

So there you go! You learned something from a fanfic! :D


	10. Chapter 10

Three days after the Great E.T. Debate and Ithilwen knew that she had made the right decision to call it quits with Payne. The problem was, she couldn't find the right opportunity to break the news to him. When things would get quiet, she would steel herself and begin to start the dreaded words, then Payne would come out of nowhere with a compliment or gesture that made her feel guilty. How could she say "I think we need to break up" to the boy that had just brought her flowers with a stuffed bear as an apology?

He had apologized, she reasoned. That deserved a second chance, at the very least. Whether he meant it was a whole other matter, but she appreciated the sentiment that he had the grace to bestow her. He hadn't spoken to her since the argument outside the café, thinking it better for her to rest. Actually, Ithilwen was rather glad that he hadn't come to call on her for the brief period; she used that time to calm herself and collect her thoughts.

Fiona's opinion of the boy was beginning to change, and it was becoming increasingly hard to remain civil around him. She kept in contact with the friends of his, and it seemed the more she learned, the more she grew to dislike Payne. Payne must have picked up on this, as he treated the girl with indifference most of the time that he was at their house.

Morwen was beginning to tire of the boy's timid nature in avoiding her. There had been many a night of discussions between the three women, either in person or electronically, over the boy's behavior. Morwen and Fiona felt that Ithilwen should cut to the chase and end it before she was hurt further, and by association the elleth learned that Payne's own friends had suggested the same thing. Ithilwen assured them the best she could that she would bring the matter to the forefront when it was most appropriate.

"She's not going to tell him, is she Mom?" Fiona asked one morning over coffee.

"Like she said, it's not a matter of 'if', but 'when'." Morwen took a long pull from her mug before continuing. "I wish she'd get on with it. I can't help but associate him with a scuttling rat now as it is."

Legolas would ask her in their meetings how things were progressing, just like her naneth and sister would, and each time she would reply with 'slow'. She knew he didn't approve of the mortal's behavior and treatment of her, and each time that she couldn't say that she broke up with Payne she felt more guilt. She couldn't figure out why she felt it worse with Legolas over Fiona or her naneth, and that had added to her frustrations. There was also the necklace that hung about her neck he had given her. Legolas never said why his mother gave him such instruction, and she was beginning to think she hadn't elaborated on the matter with her own son either. Still, wearing it gave her comfort, even though it remained beneath her shirt on most days.

The morning she had received it, Fiona had fallen into a fit of squeals upon seeing it, marveling over how pretty the ring was. Her naneth was over in the next city for the day, and did not return home until later that evening. Ithilwen had an unsettling feeling as she watched a knowing smile cross her naneth's face when she observed the necklace, and Fiona's impish grin wasn't helping matters. Neither one said anything more about it, which made her more curious and increasingly paranoid.

Ithilwen had tried to give the necklace back, but Legolas had refused, telling her that if she had, he would just insist on gifting it to her again. She noticed that when she met with him in the dreams afterwards, that he would appear happier to see her wear the necklace, and so she decided to keep it.

At least she could make one person happy.

* * *

><p>On that third day when Payne had come around to apologize, Ithilwen had decided to go to the craft store for various supplies. Payne, wanting to get back in her good graces, had readily agreed to accompany her without complaint.<p>

It didn't last long.

Ithilwen liked to create, and the massive art supply store held everything that was a creative person could possibly dream of. She found that creating costumes and props were as fun as wearing them to the conventions they would attend. She also liked to draw when the inspiration would hit, sometimes nicking photographs of Fiona's to reference.

As her opposite, Payne liked to watch television and gawk stupidly at the scantily clad "women" at the conventions his friends took part in. Ithilwen didn't have the heart to tell him that the Sailor Mars he spoke of at Katsucon last year was actually a guy she and Fiona met at Comicon. Real nice guy, twisted sense of humor, and had flawless legs in those red pumps.

"I don't understand why you like doing this stuff," he complained, swatting at some stray flap of fabric on a standing spool.

"Because it's fun. Cosplay is like Halloween, but more frequent and you get to see everyone's costumes in better light." She had told him this before, not that he had paid attention then either. She needed a few yards of green to line the inner leather jacket for her Sweet Pea costume. It wouldn't be accurate but she wanted to add some color. "I thought you liked Halloween, Payne."

"Up until I was 10," he snorted. "I'd rather go to parties."

"Well a convention is like a big party."

"Yeah, for nerds who can't get laid."

Ithilwen rolled her eyes and moved to the assistance counter to have the length cut. "You couldn't be more wrong," she replied, finding amusement in turning his own words days prior back against him. "Conventions are gatherings for people of a similar interest to meet up and appreciate that interest together. It isn't focused on 'virgin nerds', and I can assure you that more people get laid there than you think. You'd be surprised at the hookup stories I've heard in the girl's bathroom."

"Like what? Catwoman and Batman?" he joked.

"More like Batman and Robin. Or Link and Dark Link." She amended. "You have to remember that what looks like a guy might be a girl and vice versa." Ithilwen dug in her jeans pocket to extract her shopping list. "I need to go over to get some grommets for the corset next."

"Corset, huh?" Payne's interest was peaked. "What is this, a sexy warrior costume?"

Thanking the employee and collecting her bundle of fabric, Ithilwen turned and snorted at Payne's question. "Hardly. Have you watched Suckerpunch, Payne? It's more than just women in leather with guns."

* * *

><p>Another hour had passed in the craft store, and Payne was becoming restless and agitated. Ithilwen promised him that she had only a few more items to collect before they could leave, mentally reminding herself to never take him with her again. This seemed to abate his irritation for a while, but it didn't stop his complaining. His choice of topic remained on conventions and cosplay, but he had begun to turn to more specific things.<p>

"So is cosplay the reason you don't have your ears fixed?" he blurted out on the art pencil aisle.

Shocked at the question, Ithilwen dropped the micron pen she was examining. "I beg your pardon?" she asked in disbelief.

"Your ears," he said. "Is this why you never had a surgeon fix them?"

She swallowed, bracing herself. "If you must know, it's a convenience to have them pointed when I portray elven characters, but the reason that I never had them 'fixed'," she emphasized with finger quotes, "is because I like them the way they are. They're a family trait, and both of my parents have pointed ears."

"So you're all a family of pointy-eared oddities?"

Frustrated at his ignorance, Ithilwen quickly shot up from her crouched position on the floor. "We are not 'oddities' Payne! Pointed ears run in my family, and this genetic trait is no different than being a carrier for green eyes or freckles! Do you have a problem with my appearance, Payne? Do you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," he shot back. "When my buddies told me about you, they said that you were hot. The picture I saw was of you in costume, so I assumed that the ears were fake. I find it hard to believe that a girl like yourself wouldn't be ashamed of them and not fix them!"

"I'm not ashamed of my ears!" Ithilwen said exasperatedly. "I happen to like my ears, as I told you the first time we went out! I'm not like most girls, as I thought by now that you would have realized, and if you have a problem with that, then you need to tell me now. Do we have a problem?"

The hard stare that she was giving him made passerby shrink back involuntarily. Ithilwen hated that they were arguing in the middle of the store, but once again he had crossed a line and she wasn't going to back down. Payne didn't say anything, merely kept eye contact with her, waiting to see if she was going to continue. Eventually, his gaze shifted away, deciding that now was not the time to set her off again. He had just gotten her back in a good mood, and his slip had sent her teetering backwards once more. Payne had to admit that he liked the passion that welled up within her when she was angry, but he knew that he wouldn't get far if he continued to piss her off.

"No," he finally spoke. "Nothing's wrong. Forget I said anything, okay? It's just been a while since I've eaten breakfast, and I guess my empty stomach is making me a little irritable." He looked back at her with a weak smile of apology. "Are we okay?"

Ithilwen was taken aback by the apology once again. "Yeah, we're fine," she answered. "Let me just grab some more HBs and we can go get lunch. I'm sorry I kept you for so long in here. I didn't realize that time had passed so quickly. We really should go get something to eat if you're turning into a grouch already." She laughed.

On the way to the checkout, Payne made a suggestion. "How about pizza? We passed a Pizza Hut just down the road from here."

"Can you wait that long to eat?"

"Yeah, I'll get a small salad or something."

* * *

><p>Esther was sitting in her office once more, enraptured with the events that were unfolding on her large monitor screen. The video was grainy in nature, much like that of a surveillance recording in a department store. The minuscule "cherub bytes" that were used for off-site observation were not as up-to-date as the rest of the world's technology, but they were stable and served their purpose efficiently. While other cupids used their stocks for record-keeping on one project, Esther spread hers out over a number of projects, and one of them happened to be sent to observe in the largest craft store in Burgess.<p>

She still felt awkward watching her friend's relationship play out, more so that she wasn't allowed to announce to the elleth that she was a current project. It would go against the rules of their leader, whose belief is to act within the shadows and in secret. As she watched the mortal boy ignite another firestorm in her friend's eyes, Esther was beginning to consider having a talk with the head honcho about breaking that big rule.

"Yes! Go girl! Tell him like it is!" she whooped out loud in her office. Esther was quite proud of Ithilwen for fighting back against Payne's insults, glad to see that she wasn't rolling over.

"_I'm sorry I kept you for so long in here. I didn't realize that time had passed so quickly. We really should go get something to eat if you're turning into a grouch already.__"_

"What...the...fuck...?!"

Esther had been about to take a sip of her drink when she heard Ithilwen's voice concede and apologize to the boy. In her surprise she had jerked the mug, spilling a bit of the hot tea in her lap. Cursing once more, she reached for a napkin, only to knock over her mug of pens in the process. Esther cursed again. When she looked back up from her disaster zone, she saw the pair leave the craft store.

How the hell could Ithilwen let that weasel get the last word in like that? She had been a spitfire just moments ago when she was standing up for her race, and yet this happened?

"Dammit Moon-Moon," Esther groaned at the screen. "You were doing so well!"

* * *

><p>The long sword cut through the air and the Uruk-hai's neck, the severed head sailing off some feet away from the body, which slumped to the ground. Aragorn paused, trying to catch his breath from the fight with the giant Lurtz when he saw Boromir laying near the trunk of a tree.<p>

"No," he breathed, taking note of the pale and bloodied form gasping for air. He took off into a hobbled sprint and hit his knees beside the man.

"They took the little ones," he gasped.

Aragorn placed his hand upon the other man's shoulder. "Hold still," he instructed.

"Frodo. Where is Frodo?"

"I let Frodo go."

Boromir coughed some blood. "Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the Ring from him."

"The Ring is beyond our reach now."

"Forgive me," he coughed again. "I did not see it. I have failed you all."

Aragorn shook his head, replying, "No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor." He moved his hand to extract the lodged arrows from Boromir's chest, but his arm was grabbed to halt his movements.

"Leave it!" he rasped. "It is over. The world of Men will fall. And all will come to darkness, and my city to ruin." Boromir knew that his time was running out. To have Aragorn pull the arrows would do nothing more than to speed up the inevitable, and while he wasn't afraid of death, he didn't exactly want to rush to it either.

Aragorn seemed reluctant to heed his wishes, however. "I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail."

"Our people?" the other man rasped. "Our people." He tried to reach for his blade, but found that his arms could not reach it. Aragorn complied wordlessly, placing the hilt of the sword in his hand, and Boromir clutched the weapon to his chest.

In the distance, though neither man noticed at the time, Legolas and Gimli had arrived at the scene. Both had stopped short and watched sadly at what was to come.

Boromir's breaths were becoming more ragged, his vision blurring. He knew it was time, but he had to tell him; Aragorn needed to know. "I would have followed you…my brother…my captain…my king…" He had barely finished his sentence when his soul parted from his body evermore. Aragorn touched his forehead, then his lips in respect to the fallen soldier.

"Be at peace, son of Gondor," he murmured, bending to kiss Boromir on the brow. He rose shortly after, looking into the forest to find the two remaining members of the fellowship bowing in respect. Legolas, from his distance away, could see the tear crossing the ranger's cheek, but was unaware if he even noticed. "They will look for his coming from the White Tower," Aragorn said. "But he will not return."

* * *

><p>"Oh," Ithilwen breathed, clutching her chest suddenly. They were still at Pizza Hut, waiting for the desert that they had ordered.<p>

"What's the matter? Got indigestion?" Payne joked.

She shook her head. "No… I just… felt sad all of a sudden."

Payne looked confused. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." Ithilwen shrugged off, reaching under the collar of her shirt to grasp the necklace Legolas had given her. She had a feeling that it had something to do with Legolas, but she couldn't do anything about it now. He had said that he felt her distress days before; perhaps this went both ways?

In her thoughts, she hadn't realized that she had pulled the chain completely out from under her shirt. It was second nature to her already, to clutch the ring for comfort when she was uneasy. She knew it was strange, but the movement seemed to soothe her. Unfortunately for her, all the rubbing of the ring would not ease her mind today no matter how much she tried. Because turning back from viewing the front of the restaurant, Payne had taken notice.

"What's that?" he asked casually.

"Huh?" Ithilwen asked, surprised. "Oh, it's just a necklace. No big deal," she tried to play it off.

"Really? Looks kinda fancy to be 'just a necklace'. Did you get it recently? I haven't seen you wear it before."

The elleth chewed her lip, debating on how to answer. "Actually… it was a gift. From a… penpal overseas." There, it wasn't an outright lie, but it wasn't the exact truth. Legolas could be thought of as a penpal, right?

"Seems a little strange for a girl to send another girl jewelry. What country is she from?"

Annoyed by the interrogation, she blurted out, "If you must know, Payne, it is a he, not a she."

"Another guy?!" Payne barked. "What in the hell is going on?! First you tell me that you've dreamt about other guys, and now you've got a dude as a penpal!"

"For your information, Legolas is stationed overseas!" She retorted. "We started writing to each other back at the beginning of January! This necklace was a gift from him."

"Well I don't like the idea of my girlfriend receiving gifts from guys that she's not seeing!" Payne seethed.

Ithilwen was getting angry for the second time that day. "In Legolas' family it's normal to give jewelry as gifts to friends. He considers me a friend, and one day when he finishes his tour of duty, he's going to come to Burgess so that we can meet! Now I'd like to be able to introduce him to my reasonable boyfriend, but if he's too busy making assumptions out of nothing, then I will have to find an excuse to give him!" Truth be told, Ithilwen didn't want to introduce the two. She knew it would end in Legolas finding a place to hide the body if it came to it, because Payne would be too stupid to not back down. She also wasn't sure if it was a custom of his family, but she was fishing for ideas to make the story seem more plausible to the mortal.

Payne leaned back in his chair and stared evenly at her, weighing her words. He knew she was right, but he didn't want to admit it. Regardless, the idea that she was writing to another guy got under his skin, even though she had never shown signs of straying. With her looks, it wouldn't be hard for her to be whisked away into another's arms, and with his spurts of jealousy, it was canon fodder for her to leave. He was determined to get what he wanted, and he wanted Ithilwen.

All of Ithilwen.

"Sorry," he mumbled, as the waiter delivered their deserts. "Water under the bridge."

Ithilwen didn't say anything more on the subject out loud, but she was beginning to think that body of water was evolving from a stream to a roaring ocean during a typhoon. Even the most sturdy of bridges would wear down in time.

* * *

><p>Boromir was laid to rest in one of the remaining boats. His sword lay along the length of his body, clasped in his hands, the shield above his head, and his cloven horn at his side. Gimli watched mournfully as the boat sailed down the river and over the falls of Rauros, disappearing from sight. Aragorn wrapped the vambraces of Boromir's about his forearms as a tribute. Legolas began to shove the last boat into the water.<p>

"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." Hearing no response but a sigh, he turned to the ranger and stared, suddenly understanding. "You mean not to follow them."

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Was the flat reply.

"Then it has all been in vain," Gimli frowned. "The Fellowship has failed." He and the elf had approached Aragorn, who clasped their shoulders in turn.

"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left." He turned and retrieved a dagger from the ground. "Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light." Turning back, he stated, "Let's hunt some Orc."

Aragorn took off into the forest, leaving the two behind, smiling at each other. "Yes! Haha!" Gimli grunted as they followed in pursuit of their leader.

* * *

><p>In the large office sat a desk filled with old bound tomes that contained records of romances from as far back as could be remembered. Behind the desk sat a hulking being dressed in white robes, hands clasped before them on the desk's surface. Around them, stacks of records, paperwork, and miscellaneous items lay forgotten, as the being stared straight ahead. They were waiting on something.<p>

Or someone, as the secretary poked her head in around the office door to announce that the requested had arrived. The masculine voice bid the requested to enter, but offered no further acknowledgment as the young woman entered,

"You asked to see me, sir?" Esther had intended to make an appointment for a personal meeting to discuss her latest work, but it seemed that her boss had anticipated the request. Or was it for something different entirely? She wanted to ask, but having been called in always made her lose her nerve, despite her extensive time as a Guardian.

"I did," Cupid nodded, his tone neutral and doing nothing to ease her mind. "There are some, shall we say _interesting_ developments regarding a current project of yours that I feel need to be addressed."

Esther swallowed. "And which project is it that warrants this address?" she asked softly.

"It concerns matters of the younger Misplacement. I believe you know of whom I speak."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** Nothing much to address with this chapter, other than the bigger additions of Esther's occupation, which we're going to be seeing develop as the story goes on. :) And my version of Cupid isn't that tiny cherub in the diaper; he's like a more...wisened type, I guess you could say.


	11. Chapter 11

"It concerns matters of the younger Misplacement. I believe you know of whom I speak."

Esther looked startled. "I do..."

Cupid motioned for her to take the seat in front of his desk. "Please, sit Esther." Once she had perched on the chair, he continued. "I have not called you in to admonish you for your services regarding the younger elf in Burgess. However, there have been new developments that I feel you should be aware of, as she is not only a companion to you, but your charge as well." Reaching into the desk drawer on his left, Cupid removed and set a file of papers before her. "These are copied for your records," he said. "In them contains all of the information that I am about to tell you."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Esther said carefully. "Is this situation a matter of endangerment to my charge or her kin?"

"No, but I believe it will offer a sense of relief and comfort to them in time." Cupid leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands over his chest. "In that file before you is the information that I have been given from the Man in the Moon himself. It covers all that is known about the Misplaced Ones; their history as a race, their history of living here, and a detailed hypothesis on how they might be able to return home."

Esther had been flipping through the sheets as Cupid talked, trying to follow along, but her head snapped up the moment he finished his sentence. "Home?" she asked. "There is a way to return them to their world?"

"An educated guess, based on what got them here," Cupid clarified. "It is by no means an accurate assessment, as there is no one with the knowledge here that can harness that kind of power. Although...while we do not have a source to check the theory against, we do have someone with the capabilities to emulate something simpler."

"North?"

"You, Esther."

"I beg your pardon?"

Cupid grinned. "Surely you didn't think I would allow you to handle such a personal project without good reason? My dear you are the first in a long time to harness raw magic of this nature, especially since it is not necessary for your department!"

Esther could only look on at her boss in confusion. What in the hell did he mean by that? A raw, untapped energy that could send her elven friends home? She wasn't a genie, there was no way she could do something like that! "I still don't understand where you are going with this, sir?"

"You don't?" Cupid looked slightly disappointed. "I believe that you can tip the scales in the elve's favor, Esther. The files indicated that something phenomenal had sent them to this world, and only a force as strong could bring them back. I see you as a secret piece of the puzzle, child. You have abilities to connect on spiritual levels, so I do not see why that potential can't be used to influence the other world's endeavors."

"But what would I do? I don't even know what it is that I do that you think so highly of!"

"You believe," Cupid said. "You believe that the impossible can be possible, and it manifests itself in others as a gleam of hope. You are a beacon of light that can guide the way, and I feel that if you could channel this energy, you could reach out further than this world." he nodded toward the papers in her hands. "Also in that file is a roster of individuals that are a determinable part of the Misplaced Ones' world. I want you to work on making contact with one of these figures."

"Will they listen?"

"That depends on you. You must convince them to listen, which I have no doubt you can do. If you can reach out to one, then perhaps we can find a way to right the wrong that has been unresolved for far too long."

Cupid waved a hand dismissively, effectively ending the conversation and the meeting. It was just as well. Esther's few glimpses of the file in her hands told her that she had a lot of homework to do.

* * *

><p>"Hey there, stranger," Ithilwen joked. "I haven't seen you around in a while."<p>

They were on an outcrop of a tall hill overlooking empty plains in the dark. She couldn't see much for anything, but figured that the view must have been beautiful during daylight. The elleth idly wondered if the real thing was as tranquil at night. She looked up at Legolas to see him laugh. "It has been an eventful few days since our last parting," he admitted.

"Something about the way you say that doesn't mean good news," she noticed. His laugh wasn't as genuine as it had been in the past. "What's happened?"

Legolas sat down at the edge of the outcropping, allowing his feet to dangle over the edge. He motioned for Ithilwen to join him before he began. "The Fellowship is no more," he started. "There was a skirmish, and as a result, two of the hobbits were captured, and the other two made for their own pursuit of Mordor. Aragorn, Gimli, and myself are currently tracking the Uruk-hai that have Merry and Pippin, and we believe that they were being taken to Isenguard."

Doing some quick math, Ithilwen was afraid to correct him, suddenly realizing what the sudden grief she felt days before meant. "Boromir fell, didn't he?"

"How did you know that?" he asked, surprised.

In response, she touched her heart. "It appears that this empathy goes both ways. I felt your sadness at his passing that day. I'm sorry to hear he's gone."

Legolas nodded. "He fought bravely until the very end to protect Merry and Pippin."

"I'm confused," she blurted out. "Have you found Merry and Pippin? You said that you thought they were being taken to Isenguard, were you able to catch up with the Uruks?"

The elf shook his head. "No, but we learned from an old friend that they had passed into the safety of Fangorn." Before she could ask, he added, "Gandalf has returned to us by blessing of the Valar." He could not hide the happiness he felt still; it had hurt considerably to see the wizard fall in Moria.

Ithilwen smiled in return. "That's wonderful! Where does your journey take you now? Will you still look for the hobbits?"

"Frodo and Sam will make their venture on their own. Merry and Pippin will be taken care of by the Ents in Fangorn until our paths cross again. I am not certain of our destination as of right now." Legolas leaned back on his hands as he studied Ithilwen in the moonlight. "It appears that I have spent much of our time speaking of my adventures. May I ask about yours these past days?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

The elleth found his grin infectious and grinned in reply. "Well, there was no struggle with Uruks, but there was a war of words between Payne and myself at the craft store after you gave me this," she motioned to the necklace.

Legolas' eyes followed her hand's motion with a smile, but frowned upon realizing what she said. "What did he say?"

Ithilwen blew a raspberry, an uncharacteristic action for an elleth, which made him smile again. "Payne doesn't share the same interests that I do, and he was the one to follow me to the craft store in the first place. I wanted to get some supplies for a new costume that I am working on, and he has the patience of a small child. He picked away at why I like to attend conventions and how silly the whole notion is. Then he assumed the costume that I am creating is meant to please men. What brought things to a head was that he told me that he had a problem with my ears! Again!"

"Start from the beginning. What are these 'conventions'?"

"A convention is a big social gathering in that world. There are a lot of different kinds of conventions, and some of the more popular kinds have visitors dress in costume for fun."

"That does not sound displeasing," Legolas mused. "What of the costume?"

"It's from this film called Suckerpunch. You remember me telling you about films?" At his nod, she continued. "The character's costume I'm making is Sweet Pea, but I'm adding some color to her costume, so it's not all black leather. It has this hooded cloak that forms into a corset in the front, and because there's not much else to it, Payne thinks that it's meant to please the male eye."

"This sounds like a costume that your adar would not approve of," Legolas grinned. Lots of leather and little else? Of course he wouldn't approve!

Ithilwen laughed. "It does, doesn't it? Anyway, it's not like it'll be done anytime soon. I have to wait on some supplies to be sent by post because the store I frequent doesn't carry them. And the leather takes more time to sew, so it might not be finished for a few months."

"Now, why does this boy have a problem with your ears?" His tone had turned serious. Legolas had wanted to ask this question first, but held back to let her vent about the other reasons to dislike the boy.

"According to him, he was shown a picture of my in costume by his friends, and in the picture my ears were showing. Payne thought that I was 'hot' and assumed that the ears were fake. He can't see why I don't want to change them because most girls he knows are horribly vain in that aspect. He sees them as a defect more than anything." Ithilwen was surprised to feel her right hand being taken by Legolas, and turned her gaze away from the horizon to meet his.

"Do not listen to what that boy tells you," he said firmly. "You are nothing short of a beautiful elleth, and if he cannot accept that you are different than most of the females he has encountered, then that is his problem. You have done nothing to warrant such treatment, and I wish that I could help you see that you need to break contact with him." Legolas squeezed her hand in comfort. He didn't want to frighten her with his tone, but he wanted her to see that he did not like the boy, nor approve of his behavior.

Ithilwen felt her cheeks get warm when he called her 'beautiful'. She wasn't used to compliments like that coming from Legolas, and when he said it, it sounded more sincere than when Payne ever had. Since it was dark out, she hoped that he couldn't see the change, because she didn't know if she could explain if he asked. Instead, she ducked her head and nodded briefly. "Thank you, Legolas. I know, I've been trying to find the right moment to tell him, but he's been so strange lately. We'll argue about something, but then he'll apologize right after, and it confuses me. I really noticed the change during the end of our lunch, after we left the craft store."

"How do you mean?" Legolas frowned.

She shrugged. "When I felt the grief you felt when Boromir passed, I reached for the necklace out of habit. I didn't even realize that it was showing until Payne asked me who it was from."

"What did you tell him?"

"Don't be mad, but… I told him that I received it from a soldier overseas on duty as a gift from a penpal. That's a person you write to that you haven't met, but I guess in our case dream about. Your name came up, and Payne got mad. He said that 'no guy should be giving his girl presents' or something to that extent. Then he got quiet after I told him that when you finish your term in service that you would be coming to Burgess to meet me. When desert was served he apologized for the second time that day."

When Ithilwen looked up at him again, she noticed that the frown had been replaced by the cheeky grin from earlier. "It appears that I unsettle this boy, then. Shame that I cannot be there when you wake; we would have to have a long talk."

"Good luck with that," she laughed. "He avoids Nana like the plague already. Besides," she gave the hand still grasping hers a squeeze once more. "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble if he went missing."

"Are you worried for me?"

"There's a lot of stuff that I want to show you when we meet in person, and I can't do that if you're locked away in prison." She mimicked his cheeky grin, making the elf laugh out loud.

* * *

><p>"Best be waking up, Legolas!" Came the gruff reply of Gimli, followed by the swift nudge of his booted foot against the elf's own. Legolas stirred quickly enough to find the dwarf leaning against his broad axe with a grin beneath his beard. "Been dreamin' of the lass again?"<p>

Gandalf and Aragorn turned to face them. "Is this the same maiden that was spoken of in Moria?" the wizard asked.

Aragorn nodded, "She is the granddaughter of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel."

"Ah, yes I recall as much," Gandalf mused. "Her father is the marchwarden Haldir." He turned to Legolas. "Were the two of you acquainted in Lothlorien?" he asked, referring to the daughter of the marchwarden.

Legolas didn't respond at first. Gimli took the initiative and filled in the gaps for Gandalf. "The lass and her mother are not in middle-earth anymore, we've learned. Some sort of magic gone awry sent them to another world." He nudged the elf's boot again. "Laddy's been meeting her in his dreams ever since, telling her about the journey and she tells him about her life. That Haldir almost didn't want us to leave Lothlorien because of it, I could tell."

Gandalf nodded. "I can understand, Master Dwarf. Haldir has been without his family for many years."

"When the Ring is destroyed," Legolas spoke, getting to his feet after returning the kicks to Gimli's own, "I plan to find a way to the world that Ithilwen is in and bring them both back. Haldir is adamant about this plan, and I intend to follow him." He turned to begin packing his belongings and prepping the horse for their journey, missing the knowing look that Gandalf gave Aragorn.

"You won't be going alone on that trip," Gimli grunted. "I'd like to meet the lass that has caught your attention!"

"She is a friend and nothing more!" Their banter was cut short by Gandalf, who cleared his throat to bring the attention to him.

"War has come to Rohan, we must ride to Edoras with all speed."

"Edoras? Gimli spoke, "That is no short distance!" The dwarf wasn't quite used to riding astride the horse yet, but Legolas had kept it at a pace to ease his friend's peace of mind. Going at break-neck speed was not going to be pleasant for someone with a long way to fall.

Aragorn remembered the words of Eomer. "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king."

"Yes, and it will not easily be cured." Gandalf whistled, and called forth Shadowfax. They finished packing their things, then mounted the horses and sped off in haste.

* * *

><p>Esther was up late into the night reading up on the information that Cupid had presented to her about her elven friends. As she was so distracted, she had sent out her Cherub Bytes to collect information on her latests projects that she could watch later. Reaching for her empty mug, she grimaced when she discovered that it was empty.<p>

"Looks like I'm going to have to make another pot of coffee."

She rubbed her face as she stood and walked to her kitchen. Even at home in her small apartment she was working, a habit that had become more frequent lately. She was at the point that she feared she would dream about work in her sleep.

Cupid hadn't been kidding when he said that the file was extensive, and most of it was a collective of history reports that the Man in the Moon had somehow garnered from what she learned was one of the Valar. Esther was still having trouble keeping them straight, and until she felt she could differentiate safely and seamlessly, she wouldn't attempt to contact any of them. They were highly revered, from the reports, and to mess up and misaddress one would surely be fatal to her goals.

Another instance that had caught her attention in the reports was the mention of soul mates, which she found odd, though the guardian surmised that that had more to do with Morwen than Ithilwen. After all, Morwen did have a husband back in their world, so that tidbit of information must have applied to her wellbeing. Esther found the passage interesting regardless, discovering that elves chose one mate for eternity, and only when their hearts and minds aligned would they know for certain who their significant other was. The very idea screamed of romance, and she noted with some irony how it could also be looked at as a "one true love" type deal.

* * *

><p>In Mirkwood's throne room, there sat an elleth upon one of the intricately carved thrones reading a long piece of parchment. Her eyes danced in delight as she read the inked script on the page aloud to the brooding ellon beside her.<p>

"...The Fellowship of the Ring has left our borders as I write to you, mellon-nin..."

The ellon beside her grunted. "A folly endeavor."

She looked up from the parchment to him. "Your son is with them, meleth."

"And when I get my hands on Elrond I will get a proper explanation for it."

"He chose to go. Legolas even wrote to us to explain so in detail."

"He should be here."

"Doing what?" Miraear looked up to the ceiling for some kind of assistance that would never come. "Tauriel is managing the forces quite well on her own, just as she had before Legolas was old enough to patrol. You are brooding enough for anyone on your throne! What does that leave our son to fill his time with?"

"He could be finding his mate and producing an heir to the kingdom-"

"An heir to precede a father that might never lead the kingdom his father oversees. Yes that makes much sense, don't you agree?"

Thranduil looked over at his mate. "You are aware that it would not be the first time I pushed you off your throne?" As much as he loved his wife he found her stubbornness to rival his own, which might have explained why he was so enraptured with her.

Miraear raised a brow as she stared back, unfazed. "And are you aware that your robes sparkle in complete darkness?"

"What does that have to do with our son finding his mate?"

"What does pushing me off my seat have to do with our son finding his mate?" she challenged.

Thranduil sighed. "Adar was right about you," he said almost dramatically.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I recall him telling me how wrong it would be to bind myself to a Silvan elf. Something about how Silvan ellith were prone to rash actions and words-" He suddenly found himself encased in darkness when Miraear had grabbed the overly long outer robes draped over his seat and pulled them over his head. Once he managed to poke his head out and find light again, he continued. "That just proves he was right!"

Miraear, undeterred with the biting commentary of her late father-in-law, moved from her seat to perch herself across the lap of her husband. "Valar bless him, he just did not have the sense of adventure that you did when you chose me."

"I still do," he responded, wrapping an arm about her waist.

It was no secret that Oropher couldn't stand the idea of Miraear, and had been livid to learn that his only son had deemed her his mate. The late king held no ill intent towards the Silvan elves he had governed, but he held issue with Miraear's lack of status. She had been a "common noble" among the Silvans, or one that had the prestige without the family lineage that dated back eons. Yet Thranduil had been smitten with her from their first meeting, and despite the advice against the arrangement, Oropher had watched his son pledge vows to the elleth months before he marched to his inevitable death. When the son returned from war, battered and with dwindling numbers, he took the throne, and she was his queen.

Their relationship had been peculiar to some, if not by spoken word than by appearance, for Miraear looked nothing like the blonde Sindar ellon. Her hair was an auburn red and her eyes a green that rivaled the forest leaves, with a personality to compliment Thranduil's moody one. She had been his light in those dark days preceding his father's death, and no one could deny that there was much love shared between them.

"You know I sent the necklace," she said casually.

"I do."

Miraear paused. "Are you angry about that?"

"I question it, but I am not angry," Thranduil said at last. "However I trust your judgment, I only hope that Legolas does not lose the necklace."

The couple fell silent after that. Until...

"You know that necklace was not that big of a deal," she reminded him, speaking of another piece of jewelry entirely.

"That is not up for debate. I had that commissioned specifically for you. They had no right to inflate the costs."

That was one argument Miraear would never see any resolution to, even though she could have cared less about the necklace. Thranduil would never let the dwarves live it down, and she swore sometimes he was just as stubborn, if not more so.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **Like I said in the original story, I won't be following the paths of anyone but the Three Hunters through the war, and whoever decides to tag along on their journey. The scenes are going to be switching around more now that I'm rewriting, and it would just be too confusing. There will be some odd-scenes put in, such as the small one in Mirkwood with Miraear,and Thranduil but these will eventually tie in later in the story. It's just to show other, much smaller moments at the same time without drawing too much attention away from the plot.


	12. Chapter 12

"Whatcha doing, Icchy?"

Esther's brows came together and nearly collided on impact at the sound of the horrid nickname. "Work, Frost. You know, what you're supposed to be doing over in the mountains right now, remember?"

Instead of deterring the guardian away from her workstation, he only came around her chair and made himself a seat on the edge of the desk. "That's a nasty way to talk, being a cupid and all," he grinned.

"No one ever said that romance was all sunshine and freaking rainbows," she snapped.

Jack's good mood soured at the dismissive way she told him off, and he turned from his inspection of the items on her desk to look at her. Esther...didn't look at all like she was supposed to on a normal day. On most days that he saw her, she was bright and bubbly with her stacks of notebooks and Cherub Bytes surrounding her. Today, she had dark circles under her eyes, her hair was falling out of its braids, and her posture would have made North shake his head in disproval. "You okay?"

Esther's shadowed face turned slowly and met his gaze. "Do you really want to know the answer to that?" It was almost like a challenge she put forth, for both knew she looked like complete crap.

"What I meant was, is something wrong?" When she refused to say anything, he tried again. "Work stuff got you stressed? Some personal thing? Or is it a..._girl_ thing?"

"A..._girl_ thing?"

Jack shrugged, feeling his ears warm. "Yeah, don't you girls have those...things every month where you feel really bad and want to eat everything in sight or something?"

"We call it a period, Jack," Esther replied, watching him fidget at the word. "And no...that's not it," she added. "It's work, if you really want to know."

"New project?"

"More like new information on a current one." Esther pulled up some files on the monitor screen as Jack turned to watch. "You know that Ithilwen Haldiriel is one of my charges right now?"

"Yeah, North mentioned something about the guy she's dating. I think that might have been the first time I ever heard him use the word 'pigheaded' on a mortal before." Jack hadn't met the boy personally, but the word around the North Pole was that Payne had stopped believing long before most kids did. Something about his upbringing had made him stop believing, and despite every Guardian's efforts, the spark never returned.

"Well, my boss gave me some new files regarding Ithilwen and her mother's history, and seeing as I'm watching over her already, it's up to me to sort through it all." She gestured to the stack of hard copies that lay on the other end of the desk. "The Man in the Moon had acquired them, I've been told, but I don't know how."

"What's in it?"

"A lot of it is historical accounts from their homeland, and to be honest I'm not even sure I'm pronouncing these names right. It details where they came from in middle-earth and who they left behind, along with a very, very, very long history of the family tree." Esther ran her fingers through her hair, and upon hitting a snag, grunted in irritation.

Jack had seen the movement, and got up from his seat. "Let me," he said, maneuvering her fingers from the tangled tresses.

"When did you start doing hair?" she asked with skepticism. She knew of course, but she couldn't very well tell him that.

"When I got my memories back, and I learned I had a sister, I saw myself braiding her hair at nights before bed so it wouldn't get tangled." Jack nodded to the books that lay forgotten, though Esther couldn't see him. "What's this about a long history?"

'So he does remember some things,' Esther thought. 'I wonder what else...' "Oh, it's pretty bloody," she said out loud. "Kinslaying isn't something that is a typical crime with these kinds of elves, so when it happened there was a reason. They're not the innocent race that a lot of people would glamorize them as." It was really hard to talk when Jack was running his fingers through her hair like that. It was soothing, and she felt the tension in her neck ease the more he de-tangled her hair.

"So why does Cupid think you are the one to take on this much work, aside from Ithilwen being one of your charges?" Jack's ministrations eventually stopped, and he resumed his place on the desk. He had managed to unknot the sections of hair and rebraid it, though he wasn't sure he had fixed the clip as it was supposed to be.

"He thinks that within this stack of stuff that there's a way to send them home."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

"This would be good news, right?" Jack asked. "For them, anyway?"

"But not for Fiona," Esther frowned. "She'd be left here."

"Bernard would probably move her up to the North Pole," Jack suggested. "He thinks of them as his sisters."

Esther rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I feel like it's a double-edged sword, Jack. I find a way to send them home, a family is split apart. If I don't, they're stuck here. Either way someone's going to get hurt."

"I think the first thing you need to worry about is sleep," he said, catching her try to hide her yawn. "Take a nap and get back to it when you're awake. Then just focus on your actual work. If you find a clue in all of that stuff, make a note and come back to it. Don't let your boss try and change your priorities. You're a guardian too, remember?"

She smiled then. "Thank you Jack." Esther got up from her seat and moved to stand beside him. "I don't say this to you often, but you can be very sweet when you want to." After giving him a quick peck on the cheek she said, "I'll close up my work and take that nap you suggested."

Jack, not expecting to be kissed, had begun to make a mad scramble for the door at her words. "Okay then," he said. "I'll just...leave you to it!" And he was gone seconds later.

Esther watched the boy leave, a bumbling mess of limbs no less, and outwardly chided herself. "Good going, Es," she told herself. "You go and kiss him and manage to scare him off! If that doesn't answer your question I don't know what does!"

Unfortunately, that did answer many questions that had been plaguing her mind. Jack didn't remember her at all.

* * *

><p>KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.<p>

Fiona swung the front door open, looking around to see what salesperson was determined enough to make the long trek down their driveway when she saw Jack Frost. "What's up?"

"What do you do when a girl kisses you?" he blurted out.

"Well, I don't swing that way, but normally you'd kiss her back." Fiona leaned on the door frame and watched him pace.

"Esther kissed me," Jack said. "On the cheek. And I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it."

"Okay you're gonna have to back it up a little further than that for any of this to make sense to me."

Jack sighed. "Esther's been stressed about work. I tell her she needs to get some rest, and she kissed my cheek!" He chose not to go into detail about said work, considering who it involved and the likelihood of the information being classified.

"That sounds like a sign of gratitude," Fiona commented. "She probably appreciated the thoughtfulness of your suggestion."

"Well what do I do? Do I do something?"

Fiona grinned at the boy. "You mean the legendary Jack Frost is taking initiative to do something?"

"Don't start," he glared at her. "I came here for advice."

"Alright alright alright." Fiona was about to continue, but she had just realized what she had said and got herself tickled. It had taken Jack to make snow fall inside the covered porch to get her attention. "Right, sorry. Matthew McConaughey joke got me distracted. Anyway, you're probably thinking too much into this kiss. This is the first time she's kissed you right?"

"Yeah."

"Then don't get your panties in a bunch," Fiona told him. "If it happens again, and you have the guts to bring it up, ask her about it. Or give her a kiss sometime and see how she reacts!"

Jack's face became more puzzled. "But why would I kiss Esther?"

Fiona nearly face-palmed. "Maybe because you think she's pretty? That you might like her? Or maybe you think she smells like cookies and want to get close enough to sniff her without it being weird?"

"That's weird."

"You asked."

* * *

><p>Bernard thanked the Powers that Be for his past experiences with the other Santas and arranging for these meetings of mythical and holiday-based figures. The miniature elves underfoot did nothing to help, as usual, but the Yetis were surprisingly efficient. Unlike the past Santas, however, North encouraged the elf to sit at the table with them. He wasn't a guardian by any stretch of the word, but North felt he had done as much as any one of them present.<p>

For Jack Frost, the next Meeting of the Guardians to look forward to. He didn't enjoy the meetings anyway, but knowing that Esther would be present added a layer of awkwardness he didn't like. The meeting itself has passed without issue, but North had encouraged all who could spare the time to stay for casual conversation, which in his eyes meant eating.

Jack looked across the room at the young woman in question, talking with Tooth and Gemma, the Guardian of Fleeting Crushes. He thought it was strange for there to be so many divisions of love at first, but he supposed the head Cupid couldn't handle it all himself. Gemma was a small thing, one of the youngest-looking guardians present aside from the Puppy Love cupid. She fit the image of a grade-school girl that would crush on the members of the current pop sensation with her bouncing brown curls, blue eyes, and freckles. Despite looks, she was very intelligent and outspoken. Jack had nearly been beside himself the first time he surprised her, for she had sworn like a sailor in her lacey overdress and petticoat.

Turning away, he spied the Lust Twins cornering Bernard with a barrage of questions. Delia and Deren were strikingly beautiful and always dressed for an awards ceremony. Jack knew them as the Guardians of Lust, but he had no idea if they were _really_ twins or just so similar in appearance that they called themselves twins. They acted enough like brother and sister either way, and he really hoped it remained that way. He never interacted much with them, but the times they had talked, he could practically see the gears at work. If one wasn't thinking of who to pair with who for a one-night stand, the other was.

There were other divisions, but few stayed after the meeting. Jack had just seen the Guardian of Puppy Love stop to hug Fleeting Crushes before leaving, and of those that stayed behind with her were Lust and...he swallowed. Pure Love.

Esther hadn't mentioned the kiss since their last encounter, and Jack wasn't sure what to think about that. He had mulled over Fiona's advice, finally concluding that he probably was thinking too much into it, if she hadn't made another move by now. She continued to treat him just as she always had, and while Jack was thankful to go back into his routine around the girl, something still bugged him.

"What's got your staff in a twist?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Kangaroo."

Bunnymund reared up on one foot and thumped Jack with his raised one, smiling in satisfaction when he got the desired effect of knocking him forward. "Been workin' on that one," he said smugly. "Now what's your problem? You been looking rather wilted all day."

Jack dusted off his back, wondering if there wasn't a giant Pooka footprint there now. "Do you remember when you first became a Guardian?"

"I do." Bunnymund wasn't sure what to make of the serious tone in the jokester's voice. It just didn't fit.

"Did your memories of your life before all come back at once...or did you feel like some were delayed?"

"Where are you goin' with this?"

Jack frowned. "I don't think I have all of my memories."

"Have you talked to Tooth about this?"

"What could she do, Rabbit?" Jack ran a hand through his hair. "If I knew for certain they were _gone_ it'd be one thing, but I have no idea! All I feel is that I have these..." he pulled a face, "...blocks where there should be memories!"

"I don't know much about this kind of thing," Bunnymund told him, "but you need to talk to someone who might. If you don't feel right talkin' to Tooth first, go to the Big Guy." The pooka felt odd having a civil conversation with the boy, but since Jack hadn't tried to freeze the eggs he brought with him, he knew that this problem was upsetting him. He'd even let the rabbit-nonsense slide for now, instead of correcting him yet again.

* * *

><p>"How'd the meeting go?" Ithilwen looked up from her laptop when she heard the familiar jingle of small bells in the den. Bernard was still wearing the baggy hat the elves had made him, which they had fitted with tiny bells in place of holly berries.<p>

"I got cornered by the Lust Twins," he complained, dropping down onto the couch beside her.

"Ooh, threesome. Kinky." Ithilwen grinned when the hat collided with her shoulder. "And you say the comics I read are filthy."

"I don't care if you label it as a 'romantic comedy' it's still bondage," the elf looked bothered. "There was nothing kinky about being backed into a corner."

Ithilwen shrugged. "If you do it right..."

"Why do I bother talking with you?"

"Because you're my big brother and you love me," she teased. "So really, why did the Guardians of Lust corner you?"

"They..." Bernard sighed, bracing himself. "They asked me if I was interested in being...hooked up."

"Called it!"

"You didn't 'call' anything! You said it was kinky!"

"With Delia and Deren, _anything_ is kinky!" She paused. "So what'd you tell them?"

"I said no!"

"Well that's no fun."

"I'm not looking for a hook-up!"

"And what did they say when you told them that?"

"Deren said there were...other things...he could help me get if I didn't want to meet anyone..."

Ithilwen howled with laughter then. She couldn't help herself. Bernard wasn't as outspoken on a lot of topics like she and Fiona were, so to imagine the male Lust guardian suggest anything related to 'solo play' to the uptight elf was hilarious. He looked less than enthused about her amusement at his expense and saw fit to tell her so. Or rather, he had been about to when he noticed the chain around her neck.

"When did you get a new necklace?"

"My what?" Ithilwen looked down, his question dawning on her. "Oh! You mean this!" She slipped the chain off and held it out to Bernard. "Do you remember the elf I told you about, Legolas? He gave this to me."

"It looks like a really old ring," he observed.

"Yeah, and that's what's weird about it," she replied. "Legolas told me that his mother encouraged him to give this to who he felt should have it, and he said that that was me. I don't get it. I'm not anything special!"

"Maybe you are to him."

"What does that mean?"

Bernard shrugged. "I don't know. He'd have to have some reason for giving you an old ring, so he obviously sees something in you that means something to him."

"All he told me was that he felt in his heart that I was the one."

"Then that's the reason. It may not be clear right now, but someday down the road it could all make sense."

Ithilwen looped the chain back around her neck, oddly taking comfort in the cool metal of the ring sitting against her skin. Maybe Bernard was right. Legolas wasn't even sure why he felt compelled to give the ring to her, so how could she even begin to understand? She would continue to hold the ring, in the off chance that the elf changed his mind. If he didn't, well...perhaps they would find the answers in the future.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** If you read the original story, you'll notice that this chapter is not like the original chapter 12. If you didn't, well it was just a filler chapter that I decided to leave out entirely. Honestly I had forgotten I had written that Ithilwen took part in Camp Nanowrimo, and while I tried to find a way to tie it it, it just wouldn't work. There might be something there for a mini side-shot, but it's not something I'm going to lose sleep over.

Instead, you get a little more with Jack, Esther, Bernard, and mentions of other cupids (thanks to CountingSinfulStars). I was half-tempted to write the Guardians of Lust as the Lucete Twins from Bioshock but decided against it. It's up to you if they are biological twins or not, as well as their appearances. I felt like if I gave them a concrete image it might not fit someone's perception, so they're left open-ended. If any of the other cupids appear again in the story, aside from Esther, it would probably be those two. Cause you just know that they'd be up to something.

Like what you've read so far? Want to see more of something else? Let me know in a review, okay? Suggestions are always welcome on any of the stories I've written, so don't be shy! I'm not limiting the story's length this time around, so if I can't "fit" something in just yet, it could still happen! :)


	13. Chapter 13

March the second.

Ithilwen had known Payne for about two months now, and they had been in a relationship for a shorter time than that. In that amount of time, her psyche had been in knots that seemed impossible to get undone. The mortal had been nice and kind at first, though a bit of an idiot for his lack of tactfully chosen opinions. Then he began to change into what appeared to be a jealous boyfriend – especially recently when he took notice of the necklace and ring that Legolas had given her. He had started speaking against everything that she took interest in, and furthermore proceeded to tell her that she was wrong on arguments where she was logically right. She didn't know what to do anymore.

Scratch that, she did.

She just didn't know how to do it, and that was driving her nuts. It seemed like with each snide remark he made he was giving her an open opportunity, but when she would brace herself to speak, he would change directions and apologize, unknowingly making her feel guilty for what she wanted to say. Ithilwen didn't want to hurt Payne, despite the treatment she had been getting, thus she decided to hold out until the day he wouldn't apologize for running his mouth.

Part of her wondered if she could wait that long.

* * *

><p>Esther's research through the stacks of information that Cupid had given her continued to make her head spin. It had been a tumultuous ride of elven history riddled with paranoia, mistrust, rings, and bloodshed, and that was keeping it within the species! She was beginning to think that North's elves electrocuting themselves were brighter in some regards.<p>

Aside from the stack of historical warfare, she had also been taking notes on other interesting pieces of information that had come up in her research. With Ithilwen as her charge, not only was she taking on Cupids' request while watching the rise and fall of the relationship with the mortal, Esther was also looking into the peculiar connection that she had developed with the elf back in middle-earth. Between the little information she had on elven marriages, what she found on the internet, and the bits and pieces of her talks with the elleth in questions, Esther had a few possible leads.

'_An empath who is linked to another can reach out through the connection to feel the current physical and emotional stresses of the other; if strong enough, said searcher can possibly perceive what the other is doing at a given time... Should the bond of an empathic connection deepen far enough, it is possible for the empath to simply 'feel' the presence of their target without effort...'_

'_A soulspace requires much practice and a strong technique in metaphysical work. Someone who is adept in reaching their soulspace can likely search for another's soulspace and enter it as if it were their own. These types of connections bypass reality in that there is no physical plane, but like other links they can be strengthened to form a significant bond if desired. While a soulspace is similar to an empathic connection between individuals, it is a more personal link that can be accessed far easier, however, this can prove to have negative effects if the target does not wish to accommodate another in their soulspace...'_

Perhaps the most interesting part of her notes was what had been recently added to the notebook, concerning connections breaking.

'_A soulspace connection can withstand death and rebirth, however for the reborn a sense of incompleteness may likely be present. The reborn will have no knowledge of the soulspace link, yet awareness can be prompted upon meeting their soulspace sharer or another triggering event. While this type of connection, as many others, can be confused with romantic endeavors, the common misconception remains to be known as a soulmate or soulbond connection.'_

'So the gist of it is that what Ithilwen may have with this Legolas guy could be an empathic connection, or maybe a soul bond?' Esther chewed her lip and leaned back in the chair. 'That still doesn't explain how they found each other in separate worlds without trying. Was it a fluke, or was it predetermined?'

* * *

><p>Ithilwen hung up the cell phone and dropped it carelessly on the kitchen counter. She had just finished talking to Payne about meeting up with some of his friends for dinner that evening. Not having other plans, and knowing these were the cosplay friends her and Fiona knew, she agreed. Then Payne decided to switch tactics and ask her another question pertaining to their relationship.<p>

"_So you know…it's been while since we've gotten together," he had said, working his way into the main point._

"_Uh huh," Ithilwen had agreed, not really in the mood to play guessing games with him._

"_Well, call me old fashioned, but haven't we waited long enough?"_

"_Long enough for what, exactly?" She was beginning to get a headache from the high pitch of the phone to her ear._

"_You know," he urged. "Us. Waiting. It's definitely been more than three dates. Surely you're ready to go further?"_

_Headache was on. Ithilwen did her best not to groan out loud. "Oh, that." She replied nonchalantly. "I don't know Payne. I'm not sure if I'm ready just yet-"_

And apparently her answer wasn't the right one, because he cut her off in an irritated tone, telling her that he'd be by to pick her up around 6 before hanging up. Ithilwen was left staring at the small contraption in disbelief.

Rubbing her face with both hands she mumbled out loud to the open kitchen. "I can't believe that little bastard actually hung up on me." She shouldn't have been surprised by his proposition. Payne had been eluding to that question for weeks; now he was just being more blunt. Something about him asking her if she was ready to sleep with him over the phone rubbed her the wrong way, bringing her to think about Legolas. Despite her headache, she laughed at the thought. He wouldn't do that to an elleth, she was sure of it. To her, Legolas seemed to be more gentlemanly than Payne ever thought about being.

Looking at the clock, Ithilwen noticed that she had a few hours before she had to worry about getting ready. Collecting a bag of Cheetos and a drink from the fridge, she went to find her laptop. The day was nice, and she suddenly felt like soaking up the sunlight while she caught up on her reading.

* * *

><p>For some reason, Legolas was battling a big fit of rage as they galloped to Edoras. He searched within himself, trying to find some reason for the strong emotions, but came up empty. That only left one possibility-<p>

"Ithilwen," he stated under his breath. Gandalf and Aragorn turned to look at him.

"Is something wrong?" Gandalf asked curiously. Since he had reunited with the three, he had been caught up on the goings on between their resident elf and the granddaughter of the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood. He still hadn't found a reason as to their connection, but it had solved the mystery that had plagued the family for centuries as to the whereabouts of their kin.

Legolas shook his head. "Possibly, but I am unsure. She is angry, and I feel that the reason is because of the mortal boy that is courting her."

"Wish I could get my hands on that boy!" Came from behind the elf. "Treatin' the lass like that!" Since Lothlorien, Gimli had steadily changed his views on elves, all in thanks to Galadriel. When the dwarf had learned of her relation to the Lady, he had become more curious about the elf Legolas spoke to in his dreams.

"Don't we all," Aragorn agreed, looking at Legolas. His friend's brows were drawn together in frustration because there was little that he could do at the present. "One thing at a time, Gimli."

"Yes," Gandalf nodded sagely. He looked out across the horizon to see their destination resting atop a hill not far away. "Edoras, and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is over thrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here." He nudged Shadowfax forward and they sped off across the hilly plains again.

* * *

><p>It was a half hour past when Payne had told Ithilwen that he would be by. After his tone from earlier, she was half-tempted to call the restaurant and find out if he had just gone ahead alone. If he didn't show up soon, she was going to come out of her shoes and call the whole thing off. The shoes she had picked out were alright in small amounts, but she had chosen them thinking that she wouldn't have to wait to be picked up, and were quickly beginning to tire her feet.<p>

The sound of a distinct car horn kept her from sitting down once more. Ithilwen hobbled over to the window to find that it was Payne who had blown the horn on the car. Hobbling back to collect her purse, she slowly made her way out the door and to the car. Payne didn't get out to open the door for her, nor even turn the engine off. Idly she wondered if she could get into the car without him peeling out of the driveway.

"Hey, how come you were so late?" she asked softly, buckling the seatbelt.

"Late?" Payne scoffed. "I'm not late!"

"You told me that you would be by around six. It's a quarter to seven!"

"I'm telling you that I'm not late! Rick called and said the reservations got pushed back to 7:30. I told you this."

"Actually, you didn't Payne. I would have remembered."

Payne shook his head. "I'm pretty sure I told you. I'm surprised that you didn't hear me with those ears of yours."

Ithilwen was about to snap back about his comment but decided against it. It already appeared that everything he said tonight would be the truth, even if he was wrong. Anyway, she didn't want to start a fight with him in front of his friends. It had been a while since their last convention meetup, and she wanted the night to go smoothly.

As her unfortunate luck would have it, Payne had other ideas.

* * *

><p>When they arrived at the restaurant, which was really a high-dollar family eatery, Payne's friends were still waiting in the room for their table to become available. Payne's insistence that she hurry was unnecessary, and already her poor toes were threatening to strangle him. Not that he would have noticed. He barely seemed to look at her at all since she got in the car.<p>

"Payne! Ithilwen!" Rick greeted. "How have you been, Ithilwen?"

"Actually, I'm-"

"-Great. She's great." Payne interrupted. "Sorry about running late. This Keebler elf here thought I gave her the wrong time, can you believe that? With those ears she should have heard me perfectly!" He roared with laughter.

Ithilwen pressed her lips together in a thin line, determined to keep her oath for the night. Rick grinned uncomfortably at her, noticing her mood and trying to appease his friend. Some of the others in their group laughed outright, the ones that rarely knew Ithilwen at all. The remaining few chuckled, knowing that Payne was terrible with jokes and only went along to keep his mood lifted. Ithilwen was beginning to regret even leaving the house that evening.

She thought that things would have gotten better when they had been seated, but that was a fool's dream. More than once she wished that it was a nightmare created by Pitch that she could wake up from, but the pinches under the table were doing nothing more than making her arm sore. Ithilwen tried to tune out much of the conversation, but Payne seemed keen on dragging her into it, making her the center of discussion on everything from her ears to her body shape to how she dressed. Of course, listening to Payne, he was using her as an "example", but what he was really doing was comparing her – out loud, mind you – to every other female in the building.

On the drive back to her house, Ithilwen couldn't hold it in anymore.

"What was wrong with you tonight?"

"What?" he asked, not noticing her exasperated tone.

"You spent all night comparing me to every woman in the building!" she all but shouted. "Never in my life have I felt so humiliated! You talked about my hair, my clothes, my body- I'm sorry that I don't fit the mold you're looking for!"

"Well, gee, you're a smart girl Ithilwen! If you've got a problem with the stuff I said, then why don't you change it!"

Ithilwen chose not to reply to that statement as he had pulled into the driveway. Her response to him and the whole evening was to slam the passenger door shut so hard that the glass leading into the door cracked slightly.

* * *

><p>"How goes your work, Esther?" Tooth asked cheerfully. They were both out on runs that night, and happened to pass each other somewhere over Houston.<p>

Esther knew what 'work' she was referring to without it being spelled out. "Slow, frustrating, and baffling," she replied. "I'm stuck on the work that Cupid's asked me to look into, and that's irritating. What's worse is watching Ithilwen."

"You're the Guardian of Pure Love," Tooth nodded to other passing fairies that zoomed past, off to collect more teeth. "I'm sure you're used to the lovey-dovey stuff by now."

"It would be, if it were that." When the fairy looked at her puzzled, she explained. "The guy she's seeing isn't as nice as he's lead her to believe, and his colors are starting to show."

"Then she ought to break up with him."

Esther sniffed, catching a scent of late night fried food grease nearby. 'I need to eat,' she realized. "If only it were that easy. Ithilwen's too nice to dump him on spot like most would today."

Tooth looked conflicted then. "What if..." she was weighing her words carefully, "...what if Ithilwen was...nudged...in the right direction? Is that something you can do?"

"You mean you want me to force her to break up with Payne? I'm not sure Tooth, that could be against our code of conduct."

"Not force, per se," she amended. "Maybe just, I don't know, influenced by his actions to call it quits?"

Esther crossed her arms as she thought about it. "Well, as a cupid I'm within rights to give boosts of courage to propose. I can't outright force anyone to break up, but maybe if I were to tinker with the atmosphere she'd be more inclined to get on with it." Cupid shouldn't call her out on that, right? It was for the benefit of both parties, since neither was deemed the other's true love. And it'd help her focus more on the work he had given her if she wasn't so distracted by the mishmash of a hookup that had been made.

* * *

><p>"D'ye think that this boy is going to hurt the lass?"<p>

Gimli was perched atop one of the chairs in the room that was provided to the elf. Evening had set over the plains, and they were all turning in early. The funeral of Theodred and bringing the king back to the present was tiring for everyone. The dwarf, however, could not retire for the night until he had spoken to his friend.

Legolas was sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling off his boots. "I fear that he may already be hurting her." Her enthusiasm on the subject of the mortal had waned considerably since he was first introduced, and Legolas suspected things were worse than Ithilwen had let on.

"If you could, what would you do?" Gimli could tell that this was really bothering him, and in a way, it unsettled him too. He still wasn't trustful of _all _elves, but to hear the way that Legolas talked of Ithilwen made him feel protective by association.

The answer Gimli received was one he expected, but he didn't expect it so quickly. "I'd kill him," Legolas responded with steel in his voice. The way he said it brought the dwarf's memories back to their first encounter with Eomer, and he knew Legolas was serious.

"You really do care for her, don't you?"

"Of course. She is my friend, just as you and Aragorn are."

Gimli shook his head, feeling the weight of his unbraided hair move about in the process. "No, I speak of something else entirely, Master Elf."

"Then explain," Legolas asked with curiosity. His request went unanswered though. Gimli had risen from the chair and moved across the room for the door.

"You'll figure it out in time, lad," he replied instead. "I just find it peculiar how a 'friend' would go to the lengths that a father would for his daughter." Then he bade the elf goodnight and departed for his own rooms, leaving Legolas to contemplate his words.

* * *

><p>When she met up with Legolas in her dreams that night, Ithilwen decided not to give the specific details of the things that Payne had said. She knew that he knew that she wasn't saying everything, but he chose not to comment, and for that she was thankful. Ithilwen wasn't sure if she could recount everything without somehow giving herself a nightmare in her own dreams. Legolas drew her into his arms in a comforting hug in reply as he told her about his news.<p>

Ithilwen was strangely fascinated to learn about how King Theoden had been brainwashed and wondered if this Saruman was the one that had cast the spell centuries ago. She almost wanted to ask, but for the first time all day or night she felt relaxed as she hugged her friend back. That was something else she liked about these dream meetings. Besides the friendship that she had made with Legolas, she also discovered that he gave really good hugs. She felt like she fit against him when he held her, and the warmth of his broad chest wasn't unwelcome either. He was like a large, breathing heating blanket that could shoot a bow. The hugs were few and far between, since both were still getting comfortable around the other, but each one was cherished.

It was too bad that the dream didn't last long.

Legolas had been woken by Gimli, alerting him that they were to begin preparing to travel to Helms Deep as soon as possible. He rose rather reluctantly, wishing that he could have told Ithilwen of what he was to head into that day, but the emotions that he felt radiate off of her in the dream quelled those thoughts. With everything that she had gone through, he couldn't do more than attempt to comfort her.

As he was collecting his belongings to bring to the horse in the stables, he noticed that one of his silvery tunics were missing. He knew right away that he had not unpacked much, so it should have been with his other things. Legolas was about to do a sweep of the room again when a slip of something forest green on the bed caught his eye. Walking to the bed, he reached into the folds of the covers to extract the contrasting fabric. It was soft, and bore a lace trim. Confused, he spread the fabric out across the mattress. Eyes widening upon realization of what it was he was looking at, he felt his cheeks turn pink and was almost positive his ears matched.

He wasn't sure how he would explain this to Haldir if he saw him in the near future. He wasn't even sure how it happened to come into his possession. However, he was pretty sure where his tunic disappeared to now.

* * *

><p>"Gagh! Where are they!?" Clothes were flying around the room. Pillows smashed against the wall. Covers were strewn about the floor around the bed. All in all, the room was a disaster.<p>

Ithilwen was already annoyed that she had been woken up from a good dream. She was even more annoyed to find that it was because of Payne calling, wanting to go out to dinner again, just the two of them this time. Even though she didn't detect his snotty attitude from last night, she had made her decision and was not going to turn back.

Back to the matter at hand, she had dug through her drawers for her emerald green bra and panty set that she would put on after she showered. She found the bra, but she couldn't find the hipster-cut lace panties. Groaning in frustration, her pajama'd bottom plopped down on the bed, accepting defeat. She'd just have to either mix it up or choose a different set instead. Before she rose to stand again, she saw something silk balled up where one of her pillows normally lay.

Ithilwen reached over and flattened the material out to discover that it was a shirt, but not one of hers. This one was larger, and clearly not from any store in this world. Lifting the fabric to her nose, she instantly knew of the woodsy scent ingrained in the threads. The question was, how did she get it? She didn't remember anything strange happening in the dream. Although now she was hoping that the tunic she held wasn't the only one he had in his possession.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **A quick update tonight, as there wasn't much to change around. Esther's plotting, which can only go one of two ways...or can it? ;)

The notes that Esther has on the different soul mate forms was found on a fluke internet search for soul bonds, which I had seen as a tag word on AO3. Really, I had no idea this was a thing! Hopefully my story is up to par with the hundreds of others that follow the concept (more or less). In a way I'm glad I didn't find this out until after I finished writing the original, cause I think it would have changed things entirely. Now, off to work on the next chapter (since the school student portal is down for maintenance)!


	14. Chapter 14

"What was all that yelling about?" Morwen asked as her daughter came down the stairs in a huff. She watched the young elleth slump down into one of the island barstools, clutching some large lump of fabric. "And what do you have there?"

Ithilwen looked up at her naneth, the questions not registering at first. "Oh, that. Sorry. I was looking for a pair of underwear that matched the bra I've got on, but I think I've lost them."

"Oooh, matchy matchy! Planning on showing them off or something?" Fiona joked from her spot at the oven. She had taken it upon herself to cook breakfast. Morwen laughed at the humor, but Ithilwen only rolled her eyes.

"Highly unlikely, unless either of you want to see them," she retorted. "I've made my decision about Payne. It's over. And I'm going to tell him today. I don't care how apologetic he is about last night, I've had it."

Morwen smiled. "Good for you. I've been worried about this. Are you ready?"

"Yes," the elleth answered. "I can't take anymore of his criticizing every little thing about me. I'm not even sure I'd care if we parted as friends right now. Ever since he found out about Legolas he's become such an ass. There's nothing to be paranoid about, so I don't understand why he's acting so stupid."

"Ithilwen, that's not an act. Payne is stupid. He's male. Here, eat." Fiona placed a plate of pancakes and sausage in front of the woman before returning to the stove. Ithilwen gave her thanks and began to pour some syrup over her meal.

"He is much more handsome than Payne, from the drawing that Fiona showed me." Morwen mused. "And you said that he is much kinder to you than the boy."

Ithilwen nodded, not denying anything. "I suppose, but he's just a friend."

"Your adar and I started out as 'just friends', and look at what that became." Morwen poured a glass of orange juice and slid it to her daughter. "So tell me, what's that you've got in your lap?"

"This?" Ithilwen hadn't realized that she had brought the shirt down with her in her frustrations. She wiped her hands on her napkin before raising the clothing item for both women to see. "It's a tunic, I suspect. I found it in my bed when I woke up this morning."

Morwen touched a sleeve of the tunic delicately. "It is definitely elven spun. And male; the shoulders are much broader than the female counterpart. You have no idea how you got it?" The only items they had from middle-earth up to this point had been what they left with. To find that her daughter had an ellon's tunic was very strange, and if she hadn't seen the ring Ithilwen wore around her neck, she might not have believed it to have happened.

Shaking her head, Ithilwen replied, "No, but I'm pretty sure I know who it came from." She chose to ignore Fiona's comment of "I bet you do…"

* * *

><p>"They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls we will outlast them." Theoden was inadvertently giving the Three Walkers a tour of the fortress named Helms Deep as he spoke. While the concept of the thickened stone walls sounded reassuring, the reality of the situation was that they were backed into a corner. The fortress, having been built into the side of the mountain, was not the most logical landscape for what was to come, and Aragorn knew this.<p>

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people, down to the last child."

Being told the truth out in the open didn't sit well with the king for obvious reasons. Theoden whipped around and came nose to nose with the ranger. "What would you have me do?" he asked, his voice showing how stressed he was. "Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid."

"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead." Theoden didn't sound so optimistic, but Aragorn persisted.

"Gondor will answer."

"Gondor?! Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell?! Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us?! Where was Gon–?" He stepped away from Aragorn, trying not to show the defeat in his posture. From the sidelines, Gimli and Legolas watched the exchange in silence. They knew the king's limit was stretched. Considering all that the man had been through, he should have passed the point of no return long ago, but it showed how strong his character was to keep going when there appeared to be no hope. "No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." His voice softened considerably from moments before, trying to instill in the ranger that he had no hope of outside assistance.

He turned on his heel and walked away from the trio towards a gate. "Get the women and children into the caves," Theoden gave the orders to his right hand, Gamling.

"We need more time to lay provisions for—"

"There is no time. War is upon us." The finality of the statement seemed to jostle the unseasoned soldiers around the area as the king passed.

From his position, Aragorn watched Theoden stalk away. So much for encouraging the king to call for outside help; the king himself had no hope of a positive outcome of this fight. He turned to face his companions, who looked no more comforted by the king's composure than he did. "We need to prepare," he told them.

"Actually," Gimli interjected, "There's something else that must be done first."

"And that is?"

"The elf here needs to speak to the lass, if he can. Tell her what is going on."

"Do you think that wise?" Aragorn asked.

The dwarf shuffled in spot, shifting his weight to the opposite foot. "It'd make me feel better if she was informed. Legolas here has said that she feels his emotions at times; wouldn't it scare her if she didn't know?"

"It is likely to scare her if I do tell her." Legolas stated. "She has enough to deal with right now with that mortal."

"But you need to tell her, Legolas!" Gimli was close to arguing with him on the matter, but Aragorn knew that in the open would be an unwise battleground of words. Many of the men of Rohan were already apprehensive of the elven race from the many tales they had heard; knowing that the one in their midst was communicating with an elleth in another world entirely might have pushed them over the edge of sanity, considering.

Aragorn laid a hand on Gimli's shoulder. "Gimli is right, Legolas. It would be better for her to know than to be left wondering. Is it possible to force these dreams, or do they occur spontaneously?"

"If I can focus, I should be able to reach her," Legolas said after a moment.

"Good. Go and get some rest. Gimli or I will come and find you."

* * *

><p>"Hello?"<p>

"Ithilwen? Good, just the girl I wanted to talk to!"

Seriously? Needless to say, she was still pissed from the previous night, and the early wakeup call that kept her from her dreams, so her tone wasn't of the friendliest quality. "What is it that you wanted, Payne?"

"You sound tired. Not enough sleep? Anyway, I called to tell you that I have to run an errand for my uncle in the next town today, so I won't be able to come by around 6 like I said earlier. It's going to be more like 7:30 or 8 before I get there. Is that okay with you?"

Ithilwen rubbed the back of her neck absentmindedly. "Sure, that sounds fine. And so you know, I didn't sleep well last night; didn't help that you called after I only got a few hours sleep," she added accusingly. Okay so maybe that was a lie, but dammit! Her dreams with Legolas have been better company than any of the dates in the past month with him!

Payne got off the phone shortly after, telling her once again to dress 'comfy' for the evening. Ithilwen dropped the phone on the nightstand and looked at her bed. Figuring a nap couldn't hurt, she stretched out on the soft blankets and fell into dreams.

* * *

><p>Esther unwrapped another peppermint and popped it in her mouth. No lunch breaks for her today, as she had a mountain of work to catch up on. Cupid was relentless in asking her about her progress on the files she was to sort through, and all she had was a stack of notes she had made almost as long as her arm. She had two other projects she hadn't been keeping tabs on as well, and she had just witnessed one of the couples have the dreaded 'Where is this relationship going' conversation through the designated Cherub Byte. She had been so absorbed in what she was coming to call Project Moon Moon for its redundancy that she had nearly neglected everything else.<p>

'Alright, one spell for motivation on its way to Rome.' Another use for the Cherub Bytes were their ability to spread her magic out. When a couple needed a boost of confidence to propose or the first admittance of love to another, these little devices were able to emit a frequency like that of a dog whistle to the designated persons. This gave Esther the time she needed if she was required elsewhere while still doing her job. Unfortunately, she wasn't certain if her Cherub Bytes were equipped to handle signals of the negative persuasion.

Her intentions were simple in theory. In order to get Ithilwen to cut ties with Payne, she would create a spell to influence his behavior, making it so awful that the woman would have no excuses to delay her decision. Esther had considered speaking to Cupid of this before she acted, but the boy's behavior on its own was enough to push forward with the plan.

'Consequences be damned,' she thought. 'It's not like I'm being punished enough seeing Jack look at me like a stranger most days. I'm not about to let my friend get hurt the same way.' Esther typed away at her keyboard, mind made up and had begun to draft the words required.

* * *

><p>"Okay…where are we now?" Ithilwen asked, confused. The landscape had changed dramatically since the last time they met. Instead of what looked like a personal guest room, she found herself standing on a tall stone wall overlooking hilly plains and jagged rocks. She felt Legolas come to stand some feet behind her.<p>

"We are at Helms Deep. It is a fortress the people of Rohan have sought refuge in." He moved around to face her properly. "I am glad that I was able to reach you."

Ithilwen looked up at him and smiled ruefully. "Guess it helps that I decided to take a nap before this evening."

"What is happening this evening?"

"Tonight is the night that I cut ties with Payne. For good. He's taking me out to dinner at a casual place, and it's then that I'll tell him. I'm going to make him see that any feelings that I have for him are not what they once were and my hopes for the future are that we can stay as friends."

"You sound confident." Legolas was ecstatic to hear that she had finally found the right time to do what needed to be done. If it were him, he wouldn't have cared about the boys' feelings, but he understood Ithilwen's reluctance all the same. He couldn't hide the happiness in his words, but he did resist the urge to jump like a young elfling.

"I wish," she laughed. "I fear he won't take it as well as I've hoped, but I don't want to lead him along. How come it's still daylight out here?" she asked, looking around. "Have you started sleeping during the day or something?"

"That is why I wanted to speak with you, Ithilwen. An army of ten thousand Uruk-hai are making their way to Helms Deep. The odds do not look to be in our favor in terms of reinforcements, and the women and children are being sheltered in the caves in the mountains. We are backed into a corner, more or less." He watched as the expression on Ithilwen's face changed from neutral to slightly panicked.

"Please tell me you are joking. Surely there are some reinforcements that will come to help?"

Legolas frowned. "I wish that I was. The king of Rohan, King Theoden, does not seem optimistic in assistance. Gandalf has left us to seek out the king's nephew Eomer and his riders. I am not sure if they will make it to the fortress in time."

Ithilwen wrung her hands, stressed. And she had been worried about a breakup? "We've just… we've just got to stay positive," she said. "Yeah, stay positive…" Suddenly the realization of everything hit her, and she had to resist the urge to vomit. She couldn't get sick in a dream, could she?

He noticed her distress and felt worse because of it. She was already worried about her plans, and he adds this to mull over. Legolas reached out and grasped her shoulders, pulling her into his arms for a hug. "We will prevail this night," he assured her. Somehow.

The elleth wrapped her arms about his waist in a tight grip. "I'm scared, Legolas. About everything. Please be careful tonight; you've been the best thing to happen to me all year."

Legolas laughed. "The year has just begun, Ithilwen. Do not be scared. I assure you that we will be fine, and you have been the best thing to happen to me this year as well. Our time here will be short, I am afraid. We must assist Rohan's men in preparing for battle."

* * *

><p>Morwen had been on edge since that morning when Ithilwen presented the tunic at breakfast. She knew it had to have come from Legolas, there was just no way around it. First a ring, now his shirt, but what next?<p>

She had called Bernard on a whim, asking if he could bring her up to the workshop. The elf had been around shortly, though he was confused by the sudden request. Morwen assured him that everything was fine, but she felt the need to speak to North. Her mind was unsettled, and he had been the closest thing to and adviser that she would have sought counsel with back home.

"I don't know what to think," she told him over steaming mugs of hot chocolate. "Ithilwen's been seeing him a lot more in her dreams, and now she's gotten physical items when she wakes."

North sat back in his chair and studied her. "You wish that there is a way to go home." It wasn't something he could fault her for; he witnessed it in his head elf often, even when said head elf wasn't aware it had been obvious.

"I don't...I can't get my hopes up over this," Morwen shook her head. "It would be too much to hope for to find a way back to middle-earth."

"You miss your husband."

Morwen looked down at her hands. "I do," she admitted. "My heart aches still, and it's been nearly two centuries. The only thing that has kept me going has been my girls. And Bernard," she added with a small smile. "He's been so good to both of them."

North nodded. "He makes a good friend. Good worker too, but family is more important." He crossed his arms over his large stomach. "I think things will work out in the end, Morwen. Don't let your fears keep you from living."

"Are you sure?" she asked tentatively. "Going back to middle-earth has seemed like a dream up to now."

"Because," he smiled at her warmly. "I am Santa Claus. I know these things."

* * *

><p>"Hey Tooth? You in?"<p>

"Jack? What a surprise! I wasn't expecting you to drop by!" Tooth flew down from her high shelf and hovered on the ground before him. "What can I do for you?"

Jack shrugged and looked around uneasily. "There's something that's been on my mind lately, and I was hoping I could talk to you about it."

"Of course! Whatever you have to say, I'm here to listen!"

"Alright then." Jack had begun to spin the staff in his hands out of nervousness. "When you guys collect baby teeth, has there ever been any point in time where some were forgotten?"

Tooth looked confused by his question. "Does this have to do with the teeth themselves, or the memories?"

"The memories, like you told me about," he said. "You said that the good memories were contained within the teeth. I was wondering if there were teeth that didn't have memories attached? Is that possible?"

"It's very rare," she admitted. "There have been occasions where an amnesiac child's teeth were collected, but the memories returned over time."

"So there's no way a tooth container hasn't missed any memories?"

"Jack, what aren't you telling me?" Tooth looked at him concerned. He wasn't even making eye contact now.

"I just...There's been something off lately, and I can't place it." When Jack sat on down on the forest floor, she joined him. "When I saw my memories, I thought that was it, but I don't think I've gotten all of them back. That's why I wondered if the teeth could have missed some..."

Tooth placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort, having known all about his passing before he became Jack Frost. "All of your teeth are preserved," she said carefully. "The memories should be contained within. However, given how things...happened...perhaps there is something that is preventing you from recalling all of them."

"What do you mean?"

"I would hazard a guess and say post traumatic stress," she said. "The events that brought you to us could have blocked memories of before. These things typically straighten out over time, but sometimes it takes a trigger to recall them."

"And I'm supposed to find this trigger when I don't know what I'm missing," he grimaced.

Tooth folded her hands in her lap, rubbing her fingers absently. "I know it's hard, Jack. If I knew of any way to bring your lost memories back, I would."

"It's not your fault, Tooth. These things happen."

"I feel bad though. You haven't had it easy."

Jack shrugged. "Nothing's ever easy," he replied. "But thanks for your help. I was worried I'd lost them entirely." Now that he knew the memories were simply hidden from him, Jack felt slightly better. It still did nothing to explain why he had felt so strange around Esther, nor why he felt like should have known her longer than he had.

* * *

><p>"Send for the king. Open the gate!"<p>

"Open up the gate!"

Nightfall had long approached the fortress, and for the rattled guards keeping a watch at the outermost edges of the keep, the sight of armored figures cloaked in hoods bearing bows in hand was the least likely thing they expected to see. The gates creaked open, allowing the newcomers passage. They marched in tandem in a rhythmic formation along the stone path. Some of the soldiers who had overheard their king's conversation with Aragorn felt a weight lift from their shoulders at the sight of the battle-ready elves.

Theoden was coming down a set of steps when he first saw the forerunner of the troops take the few steps forward to meet him. The man was dressed in silvery armor that gleamed in the moonlight, draped by a crimson cloak that offset his fair features. The elven commander bowed to the king as he came to a halt at the foot of the steps. "How is this possible?"

The commander rose and spoke eloquently. "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together." He paused briefly, catching sight for the first time of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli since they had departed Lothlorien weeks before. Seeing the prince made the marchwarden think of the family he longed to have return. "We come to honor that allegiance."

Aragorn wasted no time in greeting the elf. "Mae govannen, Haldir," he replied, pulling him into a hug that spoke volumes of their situation. Haldir, not expecting the gesture, had to suppress a laugh at the human's manner, and briefly returned the hug. "You are most welcome."

Legolas was more discreet in his greeting, something the marchwarden was more accustomed to. During their greeting, the elven troops turn around on the spot, bringing their bows to touch the ground in a resting position. Haldir turned back to face the king of Rohan. "We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **I'm breaking it here because the original chapter was about 14 pages, and this one had stretched to nearly 18 with the new additions. The battle of Helms Deep to come next!


	15. Chapter 15

The troops were then divided along the fortress walls. Haldir had sent some with Aragorn to position, while another section was being given direction by Gamling. Legolas and Gimli followed him a ways with the remainder.

"How is she?" Haldir asked, not being able to contain his inquiry any longer.

Legolas smiled, "She is doing well. I spoke to her earlier this day."

"Oh?"

"When this war is over, you will not have to worry about the mortal that was courting her."

"Was?" The trio made their way up another set of steps to the higher level. It was a peculiar conversation to be having right before a battle, but Haldir found that he did not care in the slightest.

"After this night, she will no longer be affiliated with the boy," the younger elf said, almost smugly, to which the marchwarden heard the dwarf laugh. "I also spoke to her of what is to come tonight."

"Is the lass scared?" Gimli asked, not having heard what transpired.

"On all accounts, yes," Legolas answered. "I assured her that everything would be fine, and I intend to keep my word."

Haldir clapped him on the shoulder. "See to it. I expect to hear more about your meetings when this is over," he told him before making his way down the line. Legolas and Gimli moved in the opposite direction.

"You sure about that?" Gimli asked, referring to what he had previously told Haldir.

Legolas sighed. "I have to be."

* * *

><p>"And what is my resident Moon Moon up to this evening," Esther wondered out loud in her office. A few key taps and the Cherub Byte that was tracking the elleth's outings with the mortal had been logged into, so the guardian was able to watch the events unfold in real time. Her eyes widened slightly when she took in the fancy restaurant through the small camera. "Well aren't we fancy?"<p>

Her surprise by the setting was further exemplified when she had caught sight of Ithilwen herself. The elleth didn't look comfortable in the establishment, and it wasn't hard to see why. A few more clicks of the keyboard and the Cherub Byte rotated the camera to take in Payne's appearance.

Esther sat there at the desk, brows brought together in befuddlement as she studied the two. Something was off, but she couldn't place it immediately. There wasn't any special occasion to warrant the situation, and any romantic holiday had long since passed. Finally, her mind registered what the peculiarity was.

"Oh...shit!" she hissed.

* * *

><p>Ithilwen shifted uncomfortably in the plush seat. Out of the corners of her eyes she would catch the occasional curious look in her direction, which normally didn't bother her, but tonight… Tonight Payne had specifically told her that he was taking her out to dinner at a casual restaurant, and that there was no need to "dress for the Oscars". Yet, when he came to get her, he was dressed more formally than she was in his dark blazer and slacks with a lilac button-down shirt. She didn't think much of it until they arrived at the restaurant, an Italian place that was much classier than she expected. Ithilwen felt more out of place than ever, wearing a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved peasant blouse and flats. Payne called it 'hippie wear', but she liked the style.<p>

"I thought you told me not to get dressed up," she mumbled across the table.

Payne looked up from the menu. "I did, but I thought that you would've dressed up more than this," he said, motioning to her state of dress, then to other women in the area. "Look at them, Ithilwen. They aren't dressed like a bunch of hippies."

He then proceeded to point out what made them special that night compared to herself. Ithilwen had to take breaths and count to ten to calm herself. It wasn't the first time that night that he had made her feel self conscious, and she was doing what she believed to be a decent job of keeping it together until he brought up her ears again.

* * *

><p>"Shit! Damn!" Notes, books, pens, and other items that were scattered across the desk flew into the air as the guardian scrambled to search for one particular piece of paper. "Not good! This is SO not good!"<p>

Esther realized far too late that something had gone wrong with her plans. Perhaps it was the inexperience with this type of practice, or it could have been the lack of sleep. But no matter which way she cut this cake, the insides were undercooked and runny.

In short, something very unpleasant was about to be uncovered, and she hadn't caught it soon enough to stop it.

When she heard the raised voices coming from her computer, she cringed. "Oh fuck..."

* * *

><p>"Excuse me?" Ithilwen's last thread of patience had just snapped, and she was ready to tell him off for good.<p>

"You heard me." Payne said, not looking at her, but at a raven-haired woman sitting by herself at the bar. "Or is it too difficult? I thought those big ears of yours could hear everything. Maybe if you'd get the damned things fixed you could hear me when I tell you something."

"I've had just about enough of this," she hissed, rather loudly, attracting the attention of nearby customers. "I have no intentions of getting corrective surgery, Payne. Perhaps it is you that needs the surgery to repair YOUR hearing."

Payne's attention turned swiftly on her then, eyes narrowing to slits. "Then I will not be seen in public in the company of a freak like you!" he spat. "If you don't change you will remain a freak show Ithilwen! You will grow old and die alone because no one will want to be seen with you!" By now he had risen from his seat, tossing his napkin on the table. "And if by some rare chance that someone actually sleeps with you, your children will be just as freakish looking as you are!" With those harsh, parting words, Payne walked out of the restaurant and out of Ithilwen's life forever.

* * *

><p>Esther could only watch in horror as the events played out through the camera of the Cherub Byte. It had happened, and not at all how she had hoped things would go.<p>

"I don't...I don't fucking believe this..." she sunk back into her chair in disbelief as the mortal stormed out of the restaurant. "It wasn't supposed to go this way. Not even close..."

She knew already that she was going to catch hell for this. Cupid would most likely tell her off for not getting clearance with him first, and who knows what would happen then? She was the only one in her division, so he couldn't very well put her on probation without disrupting everything in the process. Esther swallowed the lump in her throat. Perhaps she'd be given more paperwork; that was always a possibility.

"I've gotta pull myself together," she encouraged herself. "I've got a lot of explaining to do." The worst part of the whole situation was that she had unintentionally hurt one of her friends, and she feared that forgiveness for this travesty would no come easy.

* * *

><p>The rain was pounding down on the fortress and its inhabitants as hard as the thunder clapped in the sky. Metal clashed against metal. Arrows ripped through the air at untraceable speeds, and all around the body count for both parties continued to grow.<p>

"Is this it? Is this all you can conjure, Saruman?" Theoden just had to utter those words. Had Ithilwen been there, she could have stopped him, having learned in the modern world to never question Murphy's Law. The term would be unfamiliar, but the theory of "anything that can go wrong, will" would be proven more than once that night.

Through the swarm of Uruk-hai came a single sprinter, sporting what appeared to be a boulder-sized bomb against his back with a lit torch, heading towards the small drain in the fortress wall. Those he passed cheered him on.

Aragorn was too far away to do any significant damage, but he shouted to Legolas, "Togo hon dad, Legolas!"

Legolas notched an arrow and shot at the Uruk, setting the arrow into his shoulder, but the beast kept running.

"Dago hon! Dago hon!"

He could hear Aragorn's shouts and prepared to fire again when he felt it. It was a strong wave of anxiety, and not his. Ithilwen. It had to be her. The pain intensified in his heart, and Legolas knew that something was wrong, but he couldn't stop to decipher the possibilities. He fired the second arrow, hitting the other shoulder. Unfortunately, the Uruk expended the last of his energy and threw himself into the drain, lighting the bomb at the same time.

The bomb went off, blowing chunks of the wall, Elves, Humans, and Uruk-hai all over the place. Aragorn was unable to escape the area before the blast, falling to the ground as well. Some Uruks were crushed by the large pieces of the wall that fell, but some continued to push through the mass of water, bodies, and rock to get past the breach. At the causeway, some Uruks were flung from their ascent up the wall, while others carried a large battering ram to bring down the gate.

Theoden's attention was turned away from the explosion to the large slams from the causeway. "Brace the gate!" he ordered.

* * *

><p>Ithilwen was still sitting in the restaurant after Payne had made it quite clear that things were over, just when she was about to tell him the very same thing. She however, would have made it more comforting, but after considering the things he said to her, she would've been harsher if she had been given the chance. She heard the murmurs come from the nearby tables. A couple a few feet from her asked her if she was alright, having been given a front-row performance. The waiter had come shortly after Payne's departure, asking if she was ready to order, not knowing what had transpired.<p>

She had to tell the man that she didn't have any money with her, and that she would give up the table to the next customers. The waiter seemed upset to learn of her predicament, but as she told the inquiring couple, she assured him that she would be fine. Ithilwen rose from the table with grace, even though she felt like she had no dignity left to spare, and walked away from the table as if she hadn't been publicly humiliated.

Over near the bar, Ithilwen found a quiet place to make her phone call. When Payne had left, he left her with no way home, and because he insisted that he pay, he made her leave her wallet at home; a move she was quickly regretting. She couldn't call a cab without money, much less without her ID if she needed it. Morwen wasn't at home; she'd said she was working late that night. That only left one option…

The phone rung twice before the voice answered, "Hello?"

"Fiona." Her voice had no emotion to it, and she hoped that the woman wouldn't ask questions.

Luckily for Ithilwen, she didn't. "Tell me where you are. I'll be there in ten."

When Fiona did get to the restaurant, she had stormed through the doors like a tornado looking for the boy that had been the cause of Ithilwen's emotionless call. Not finding him, she found her elven sibling sitting at the far end of the bar, tearing a napkin into pieces. Fiona slowed down in her steps, not wanting to startle her, and took the time to study the elleth. Ithilwen was poised as if she had not been dumped, but it was the dullness in her eyes that scared the woman. She was known to be bright and cheerful, not this.

Ithilwen looked up to see Fiona standing by her side. "You came," she said.

"Yeah," Fiona smiled weakly. "Come on, let's get you home." She looped her arm through Ithilwen's as she was known to do, but this time it was more as a gesture of support for the elleth to lean on as they walked out of the restaurant.

* * *

><p>She had to talk to someone. Luckily someone had chosen that moment to drop in unannounced.<p>

"How's it going tonight, Icchy?"

When Esther didn't respond to the despised nickname, Jack frowned. The lights and computer were on and running when he came in the office, but unlike previous times, she didn't leap out to correct him.

"Esther?"

"I'm here," she said.

Jack followed the faint voice and walked around to face the chair. Esther was sitting tucked up into the back of it as if she were hiding from someone, but her expression was so dreary that it was frightening to behold. "What happened?" he asked, squatting down to look up into her eyes.

"I messed up, Jack," Esther mumbled. "I tried to fix things, but I made them worse. So much worse..."

When her voice cracked, he saw the beginnings of tears form. Jack had never been able to stand seeing a girl cry; he just didn't know how to handle it. She was trying not to cry, but she failed spectacularly when he held his arms out to hug her. Esther cried against his shoulder as Jack held her, alarmed and confused as to what could have brought this on. He rubbed her back softly, trying to think of something to say to assure her that whatever happened wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would.

Jack had held her for some time before the tears began to subside. From her position against his shoulder, Esther told him every detail of what had happened that night before his arrival and what had led to it. She told him of her part in the scheme of things, and her fears for what was to come from her actions.

"Can't this be seen as a good thing?" he asked, reaching behind him for a tissue from the box on the desk to offer her.

"I...I guess...b-but..." she paused to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. "...I'm gonna b-be in a lot of t-trouble..."

"You have the recordings from those Cherub Bytes, right?" On her nod, Jack continued. "Okay then, you have evidence to provide to Cupid that what you did was justifiable. He can't fault you for looking out for things like this!"

"But he c-can!" Esther protested. "If I had g-gone to him first, I could have gotten help-"

"Look," he said, rubbing her arms, "What happened is past. There's nothing anyone can do about it. We've just got to own up and move on. And Cupid knows you almost as well as you know yourself, Es. He'll understand your reasons."

"You think so?"

Jack smiled. "Yeah, I do. Now, when do you plan to go talk to him?" At her blank look he added, "I'll come with you. For support. And a witness account, if he needs one."

For the first time that night, Esther smiled. How Jack managed to find a glimmer of hope in her stress was beyond her, but she appreciated the talent all the same.

* * *

><p>When they got home, Ithilwen sat at the island as she had done earlier that day while Fiona set about making a dinner for her sister. It wasn't four-star cuisine, just simple chicken and dumplings from a pop-top can heated on the stove, but it was a comfort food that Ithilwen enjoyed. Fiona had previously eaten, but still spooned some for herself after serving Ithilwen, and they sat at the island eating in silence.<p>

After dinner, Fiona ushered Ithilwen into the den with a brownie sundae in her hands. Ithilwen made to protest, but didn't feel as if she had the energy to truly argue with Fiona. She already felt drained from earlier, and mentally considered the benefits the sugar rush from the sundae would provide. Her sister followed her shortly with her own bowl and sat with her on the couch, listening to the late night talk show on the flat screen.

Fiona knew not to press Ithilwen on the details of what happened. She wanted to ask, desperately wanted to ask, but knew that it would be fruitless unless the elleth willingly offered. It bothered her that Ithilwen didn't speak much, which meant that things hadn't gone according to plan, and that made her more curious.

Ithilwen must have sensed her anxiety, for she spoke up during one of the commercial breaks. "He said that he wouldn't be seen in public with me anymore," she began. "Called me a freak and said that I would die alone. Kept telling me about how the other women in the restaurant looked better than me, too." Ithilwen laughed emotionlessly. "What's wrong with me, Fiona? To have put up with that for so long?"

"Nothing," Fiona didn't hesitate to answer. "You're a good person who gave an asshole more chances than he deserved. Don't let what he said keep you from doing anything. And you're not a freak. He's the freak that can't accept uniqueness for its value. Too bad he wasn't around when I got there, or I'd-"

"Don't bother," Ithilwen cut her off. "It doesn't matter anymore. Payne's gone. In a way I got rid of him," she added, trying to find the bright side to such an awful evening.

Fiona smiled. "Legolas and your dad will be pleased." She noticed the frown deepen considerably on Ithilwen's face. "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared for him, Fiona." Ithilwen stated. Then she remembered that she hadn't told Fiona about the dream from earlier. "They're in a battle right now," she explained. "Legolas told me that their troops are considerably smaller, and they don't know if reinforcements will reach them in time."

"How many?"

"Ten thousand Uruk-hai ."

"Oh my god." Fiona reached over and grasped Ithilwen's hand, trying to reassure her when she herself was frightened at the potential outcomes. Ithilwen squeezed her friend's hand in return, trying to remain brave, but she couldn't bring herself to go to sleep until late in the morning. Fiona would stay up to fill Morwen in on what occurred after she made sure that Ithilwen was tucked into bed.

* * *

><p>"Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves? Is there no other way?" Aragorn was among the many barricading the doors to prevent the Uruk-hai from breaching their last means of defense.<p>

Gamling replied gravely, "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far the Uruk-Hai are too many."

The sound of the Uruks slamming into the gate once more echoed in the room. Aragorn pressed on, addressing the soldier, "Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!"

"So much death. What can Men do against such reckless hate?" Theoden was standing stock still, his voice showing no sign of strength that it once held from earlier. Aragorn whipped around to break the king from his trance.

"Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them."

"For death and glory," Theoden replied in the same monotone.

"For Rohan," the ranger continued. "For your people."

Gimli's voice cut through the noise, catching Aragorn's attention. "The sun is rising." Aragorn looked up to see sunlight filtering in through the window, remembering the words that Gandalf had told him.

"Yes," Theoden said, regaining some of his confidence. "Yes. The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep on last time."

"Yes!" Gimli agreed, relieved to see the king return to his former self. As the gate continued to splinter by the attack of the battering ram, he took to a stairway to reach the giant horn positioned at the top.

The remaining soldiers in the vicinity sat astride their steeds, weapons at the ready. "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together," Theoden lifted his voice for all to hear. "Fell deeds, awake." The gate broke open a little more. "Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red dawn." The sound of the horn echoed throughout the area as the gate finally gave way. "Forth Eorlingas!" Theoden yelled.

Those atop the horses, including Aragorn and Legolas, rode out with the king to trample and slay the Uruk-hai that were foolish enough to breach the gate. The horses forced their way down the causeway and into the battlefield, ready to lead its riders to an uncertain death if need be.

The battle was just as intense as it was from the beginning. The race of Men and Elves fought with their remaining strength just to live to see the next sunrise; the Uruk-hai only having one goal, to kill everything in their path. It was in the middle of their last stand that Aragorn happened to look up to the eastern hills to catch the glimpse of a pure white horse rise up on it's hind legs. "Gandalf," he uttered.

Gandalf was not alone, it seemed, for the nephew of Theoden appeared beside the wizard. Theoden was next to notice the addition to the battlefield. "Eomer," he spoke in disbelief. He heard the distinct cry of "To the king!" being called out over the growls of the Uruk-hai before he saw the wave of Rohirrim riders come down the landscape. The Uruks at the closest point of impact braced themselves with spears at the ready, but the sunlight that shone down as they looked upon the new arrivals obstructed their view. The horses cleared the row of spears and trampled their holders, breaking into the battlefield to finish off the ones within reach with their swords.

"Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Eomer cried out to his men. Those left standing watched in awe and fear alike as the remaining Uruk-hai fled to the forest. Shortly after the last had disappeared, the trees began to groan and move, taking control of the situation. The battle for Helms Deep was over.

* * *

><p>Soldiers were stacking the bodies of the Uruk-hai in a pile to be burned. The wounded and slain soldiers were carefully brought inside to be taken care of respectively. Legolas, carrying his bow and looking smug, sauntered over to stand before Gimli, who was sitting atop an Uruk's back smoking his pipe.<p>

"Final count, forty-two." He stated proudly, admiring his bow. He failed to see the marchwarden move up to observe the scene.

Gimli looked at Legolas surprised. "Forty-two? That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three," he crowed, feeling that he had bested the elf at their killing competition. Haldir raised his brow at the exchange, choosing not to comment on the change he was witnessing since their last extended encounter in Lothlorien.

Not to be outdone, Legolas moved at swift speed, notching an arrow and firing it at the Uruk that Gimli was sitting on, hitting the open flesh just under the dwarf's thigh. Said dwarf removed his pipe from his lips and stared hard that the elf in shock.

"Forty-Three."

"He was already dead." Gimli reasoned.

"He was twitching." Legolas shot back.

"He was twitching because he's got my ax embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli roared back, and for added emphasis, jiggled the handle of his axe, causing the corpse beneath him to move involuntarily. That was enough for Haldir, who started to chuckle at the sight of the animated corpse, catching the attention of the bickering companions. "So it appears that the lass' father came out unscathed," Gimli commented, his greeting to the marchwarden.

"Not unscathed, Master Dwarf," he responded dryly. "It will not be this day that you spit upon my grave, son of Gloin," he added with a smirk, knowing that by now the dwarf had retracted his earlier insult. At Legolas' questioning look, he continued. "Minor injuries, save for this slash to my right shoulder blade. The healers have already tended to it."

"Speaking of," Gimli mentioned, with a small gesture towards the Lorien elf, "Shouldn't you be paying a visit to the lass? It might do her good to know that you lasted the night."

"Yes," Haldir replied, not noticing that three more elves were approaching from behind. "I would like to hear the pleasant news of my daughter's dismissal of the mortal's courting practices."

Legolas didn't need to be told twice. He was just as anxious to see Ithilwen again. He had to know if her efforts were fruitful, as well as find out why she had become so anxious earlier in the night. With a brief nod to his companions, he turned and disappeared to seek a short rest.

"Hang about," someone said from behind Haldir. Both he and Gimli turned to see two dark-haired elves flanking a golden blond elf, each sporting armor that was unlike that of the Lothlorien warriors. "What is this we hear about our cousin with a mortal?"

* * *

><p>Legolas didn't find it hard to go to sleep after the hellish night he and the others underwent, but he was surprised to find himself walking along the empty battlefield in his dreams. He feared that he would be too tired to dream, though it appeared that his desire to speak to Ithilwen overturned the possibility.<p>

He found her standing in the open area with her back turned to him. She looked so out of place in the landscape wearing the long white gown that seemed to cloak her each time they met. She never understood why that was, as she had told him on one occasion that she wore clothes of a completely different style when she slept. Legolas thought it seemed odd that she seemed statuesque, and felt it best to call out to her before he approached her.

Ithilwen didn't move, save for the slightest turn of her head when he called her name, worrying the elf even more. She didn't speak, either; unusual for her since she liked to talk about the things that occurred that day. He remembered that she was going to terminate the relationship with the mortal boy. Could she be regretting her decision? Legolas hoped not. He reached out and gently touched her bare shoulder, turning her to face him. "Ithilwen?"

When Ithilwen turned and looked up at him, Legolas was taken aback. He had never seen her look so…fragile was the only word that came to mind. Her body was tense, but it was her eyes that frightened him. "What happened?" he asked softly.

It happened in a blur. The next thing that Legolas knew, Ithilwen had thrown her arms about his middle, and her small frame was shaking uncontrollably. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her, only just then registering that she was crying. No, this wasn't crying, this was sobbing, and it was breaking his heart to hear. Legolas tightened his grip on the elleth and brought the two of them down into a sitting position on the ground. He lifted her up to rest across his lap to keep from dirtying her gown, rubbing circles into her back and muttering anything that he could think of to calm her down.

Ithilwen had moved her arms from around his waist to his shoulders, and she clung to him for all she had. She hated that he was seeing her lose control like this, but she couldn't help it. The dam had broken and everything had bubbled up and over the surface – Payne, Haldir, Legolas, the war – it had built up and built up until her heart could not bear it any longer. She vaguely heard Legolas speak to her, but she wasn't sure of what he said, much less if he even knew. Fiona had stayed up with her that night because she was too scared to go to sleep, only being pushed to her room when it was discovered that she was dozing off during an episode of Fraiser. She was fast asleep when Morwen came home and wouldn't face the motherly wrath in her defense until morning. All night she had kept replaying the things that Payne had said over the course of their time together, coupled with the uncertainty of what Legolas must have been dealing with. She was honestly surprised that she lasted this long before breaking down.

Legolas continued to hold her against him even when her shoulders stopped shaking so fiercely, hearing her sobs turn to sniffles and the occasional hiccup. "Ithilwen," he began finally, scared of setting her tears off again, "What has happened?" He didn't have many occurrences of dealing with crying ellith apart from his sister, but he never recalled her going to pieces like Ithilwen had moments ago.

Ithilwen lifted her head to finally look at Legolas, doing her best to give a watery smile as he brushed away the remaining tears on her cheeks with his thumb. "It's over," she said shakily. "Payne and I are no longer seeing each other."

"I thought that was what you wished," he commented, confused.

She laughed halfheartedly. "Yeah, I did." She sniffled again. "I just didn't get the chance to bring it up." At his confused look, Ithilwen launched into the briefest explanation that she felt that she could give him right then. A lot of what Payne had said was omitted, because she couldn't bear to repeat it out loud. Another part of her could not bring herself to tell him everything because of its content, and after being in such a rough battle, she didn't want to add further stress.

Legolas listened carefully, noticing that she wasn't giving all of the details. He decided not to question her about it for the time being; if whatever he said had caused her that level of upset, he wanted to be in the same world as the boy when he found out. "I am truly sorry, Ithilwen. I wish that I could be there for you more than this; it hurts me to see how upset this has made you."

"It's fine," Ithilwen tried to assure him. "I'm glad that I've got you here. That's all that I can ask for right now."

"Just know that if I happen to see this boy, he will answer to me for the disrespect that he has shown you," Legolas stated with finality.

The elleth perched in his lap smiled more genuinely that time. "I still don't want you to get in trouble. He isn't worth it."

"Ithilwen, I have killed forty three Uruk-hai this night in ways you can't begin to imagine with some. Let me assure you that if I can get my hands on him, his outcome would be nothing more than an 'unfortunate accident'." Legolas grinned wickedly, making Ithilwen laugh in delight. He knew that she was still upset, but he was determined to say or do anything that would return her to the elleth that he had first met in Moria's landscape.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** And we've hit a milestone (of sorts)! Ithilwen and Payne broke up, the Battle of Helms Deep is over, and Esther made a big boo-boo. Haldir's still alive (yay) and there are three more elves mentioned, can you guess who?

I decided not to detail the breakup here, since it's going to unravel in time with what really happened, just as you'll find out what Esther did that she's so upset about. We're on a roll now guys! :D


	16. Chapter 16

"Yeah, it's over. No, I didn't see him. He was long gone when I got there." Fiona stretched her aching joints out across the couch. "Yeah, Mom's furious with him, and I think it might be best if you guys don't come around, just by association. For a while anyway; let this storm pass." She craned her neck around the back of the couch to gauge the time. It was far too early in the morning to be having this conversation, and while the friends of the jerk ex weren't at fault, Fiona still felt guilty for talking to them while her sister was upstairs. "You know your friend is an ass, Rick," she told him at last. From the bitter laughter on the other end, he seemed to agree.

Rick had called early the following morning to apologize, having heard and witnessed Payne's tantrum when the boy burst into his apartment. The tale he had been woven was horridly knotted, they both knew, but since Ithilwen wasn't feeling up to talking about it they wouldn't know what happened exactly.

"She's asleep now," Fiona continued. "Yeah, she fell asleep around 3 this morning. Mom came in around 4:30, and she's this close to spitting nails." A pause. "Me? I've had about two hours-" Another pause. "Well excuse me!" she hissed indignantly into the phone. "I couldn't go to sleep in good conscience while my sister was hurting!" She sighed. "You know what, Rick? I think I'm going to turn in for a nap."

Morwen had overheard everything from the kitchen as she put away the clean dishes. She came into the living room just in time to see her other daughter hang up abruptly on the caller, a sour look on her face. "Do I need to add another name to the hitlist?" It was an attempt at humor, but she wasn't certain herself if there was a joke in it. The more she thought about it, the better the idea actually sounded.

"Are all guys idiots, Mom?" Fiona asked from the couch helplessly. "Rick called to see how things were. Payne showed up at his place last night with a bogus story of how Ithilwen verbally assaulted him in the restaurant, and I can't help but wonder if he's beginning to buy into it."

"Likely the 'bros before hoes' mentality."

"Right now I'd rather have the latter. A whole box of them," Fiona replied. When she looked up at her mom and saw the raised brow, she added, "The Hostess cakes, Mom. I don't swing that way."

"Oh I know that," Morwen replied. "I just forgot about the Hostess HoHos. I could have sworn you were more of a DingDong lover, but to each their own..." She smiled for the first time that morning, having made one of her children laugh a little. "Go on upstairs and get some sleep, Fiona. There's nothing pressing that needs to be done today."

Once Fiona had disappeared upstairs, Morwen returned to the kitchen to resume her activities. She hated not being able to do more for her children when they were hurting like this. She was their mother, their protector, and she couldn't find a cure for a bruised heart and damaged emotions. It was like she had failed, even though there was nothing she could have done - legally anyway. Morwen would have loved to get her hands on the boy.

'I wish you were here, Haldir,' she thought, putting away another plate. 'I could use all the help I can get.'

* * *

><p>Jack felt the apprehension emanating off of Esther as they walked to the head office. She was still terrified of what was to come, but he assured her that he would be there for her as long as he was allowed. Esther was calmer than she was, which would have been a good sign if it weren't for the shaking of her hands. "You need to relax," he said, reaching for the hand at his side. "You've made mistakes in the past, right?"<p>

"Yes," she swallowed. "But nothing like what happened last night."

"Is it that big of a deal?"

"It...could be." Esther shook her head. "I'm not sure. With matters like this, we're required to follow protocols when it relates to cross-divisional work. I didn't, so I don't know what the consequences will be."

As they approached the large office doors, Jack chanced a glance at the woman beside him. "Look at it this way," he tried for a positive, "this would have eventually happened, right? I mean it wasn't like it wasn't going to be a forever kind of thing." He knocked on the door gently, opening it slightly upon the admission from within. With a hand at Esther's back, he led her before him into Cupid's office.

Unlike his imagination, the office of the head Love Guardian wasn't much different than a high-class business office. Dark cherry-stained wooden furniture was resting on an even darker brown carpet. The walls were lined with bookshelves, filled with tomes of all sizes and the occasional uncommon object. Overall, it was very classy for someone who was stereotyped to be a fat baby in a diaper and sash with wings.

Said guardian was sitting behind the large desk in the room, and Jack was certain he was almost as broad as North. However, where North was shaped around cookies and snacks, this Cupid was the opposite. 'He looks like he'd be built out of brick or something,' Jack thought. It wasn't until the first meeting of the Guardians that he had learned Cupid was not a chubby baby with blond curls but a hulk of a man with dark curls. Jack actually found him to be intimidating until they were introduced, and he learned that Cupid was just as gentle as North could be.

"This is a surprise, I must say," Cupid stated as the pair came up to his desk. "I thought that the northern states were getting another snow day, Jack."

"I made a deal to ease up on the snow for Easter," Jack replied. "Being a guardian now, I have to play nice and all that." He nudged Esther forward slightly. "Actually, we're here because Esther's got something she wants to talk to you about. I'm just here for support."

Cupid's gaze moved from Jack to Esther. "I see," he said. "Does this have anything to do with the project concerning the youngest Misplaced One?" From his tone it was apparent that he knew, or at the very least knew something was amiss.

"It is," Esther nodded, looking down. "There...have been some...complications."

"I see." Cupid then made the smallest of motions to Jack, and if he hadn't been watching Esther's boss so closely, he would have missed it. "Jack, while I appreciate your concern for your friend, I must ask that you wait outside please." His tone was gentle, but the guardian didn't have to pretend to hear the real words he was conveying - I must speak to my officer about confidential matters. Alone.

Esther knew that this would happen, though in the deepest parts of her heart she wished that it wouldn't be the case. Every muscle in her body tensed with the words, even with the reassuring squeeze of the hand that Jack had grasped before he left the office. She desperately wanted to flee the scene with him, but Cupid was already gesturing for her to come sit before his desk. What was it her late mother had told her when she faced high levels of anxiety? Oh right; breath in and out slowly and speak words of comfort to yourself. As she sat in the plush seat, she knew that there were no words she could fathom that would diffuse the rapid beat of her heart.

Cupid regarded her manner very closely as she came to sit down. What he saw in her eyes was the look of a woman being resigned to the gallows when he asked Jack Frost to wait outside. He knew of what happened, of course, but he was confused as to why one of his best workers looked so terrified. Blunders are inevitable in any form of work - he was no stranger to mistakes himself - but Esther looked genuinely frightened over her mistake. Or was it the consequences she feared? 'I don't recall her past life's story,' he realized. 'Is this a product of her past coming to haunt her?'

"You can relax, Esther," Cupid told her gently. "Your position is not in jeopardy."

"I am calm," she mumbled.

"Are you now?" he asked, brow raised. "Because from here it looks as if you have been sentenced to a hanging. There is nothing to fear, child. I know of the situation that you have come to speak to me about."

Esther's eyes widened slightly. "Then am I to be drawn and quartered?" she responded, looking further alarmed when she realized that she had spoken out loud.

Cupid fixed her with a stare. "I'm beginning to think that Skellington is a bad influence on you. No my dear, nothing so gruesome will befall you. What I want you to do is to calm yourself and start from the beginning of the story. Tell me what led you to taking the actions you did."

"A-alright," she swallowed. Cupid didn't sound angry, which was of some comfort. In fact, he seemed rather curious about the ordeal. "Well, it started with the extra work you gave me. I had been going through the material and made notes in the process, when I discovered the elves of middle-earth only have one mate for life. I mean I knew from Morwen that this as the case, but I somehow believed it to be a play on words." Esther had to stop and collect her thoughts as she began to ramble. "She's right; elves only have one partner. Their souls have a heightened awareness that goes beyond what normal humans are capable of. When they give their hearts to another, they do so entirely. The binding rituals that were referenced in the notes you gave me are literal."

"That is interesting to note for future reference," Cupid nodded. "How does this tie in with our present situation?"

"That," Esther winced, "was a terrible miscalculation on my part, sir. I had been observing how the mortal boy interacted with Ithilwen, and despite my better judgment, felt compelled to...move things along." She sighed, folding her hands in her lap to stop them from shaking. "His behavior had become rather impudent in recent weeks, and it was only after I finished going through the file on elven courtships that I knew something had to be done. So I...I wrote a spell...to influence the boy's behavior towards Ithilwen in the hopes that she might end the relationship sooner. I had no idea that the spell would do the damage it has; I only meant to ease a burden in her mind!"

Cupid nodded, motioning for her to continue.

"Maybe it was because I had pulled myself too thin with my work, or maybe I hadn't checked the incantation before I invoked it...but the matter is that what took place last night was not the way it was intended! I assure you this, sir!"

"I had a strong feeling that this was the case," Cupid said after a moment of silence. "Still, I would like to view the recordings of the designated Cherub Bytes you have targeted on this project to see the evidence for myself."

"Of course, sir. I will get them to you immediately."

"I am curious...Why did you choose not to inform Heartbreak of your chosen method to separate the mortal from Ithilwen? It is her department, after all."

Esther knew that he'd ask that. "I've asked myself the same question all night," she replied softly. "I know she could have helped diffuse the backlash better than the spell I wrote, but...I'm not sure, to be honest. There was something about the mortal that did not sit well with me in recent days, and I feared for my friend. If he had done something...let's just say that when these elves give their love with body and soul, it also makes them highly vulnerable. The courtship would end one way or another, and his actions had me fearful that she would be left broken. I think that is why I chose to bypass protocol, sir."

The head guardian could only look on as his lower-ranked employee bowed her head to avoid his gaze. He had suspected that she did it out of the goodness of her heart, and such actions usually lead to rash decision making. "Your actions were executed out of loyalty to your friend," he told Esther. "Let me ask you this; if Ithilwen had not been your charge, would you have followed through as you did?"

"Of course!" Her head snapped up as she answered without missing a beat.

"Then the matter is settled," Cupid said simply. He leaned back in his seat as Esther gaped at him. "Your decisions were a matter of the heart, and our heart leads us to do things our minds deem inappropriate sometimes. You cannot be faulted for following instinct."

"But the consequences-"

"Are already in motion," he stated. "Ithilwen has ended the courtship with the mortal. You have worked yourself into a panic over any potential punishments, of which are ill-suited to serve any meaningful purpose." Cupid matched her stare, noting that relief had already begun to take control. "I will not hand down punishment today, Esther. The workload you have presently is enough punishment, as is your guilt for disobeying the rules. I will require a copy of your notes on your charge, as well as the recordings from the Cherub Bytes, and anything of note you found in the information I gave you. You will have the day to collect these things and bring them to me before I leave this evening."

"Yes sir."

"Also, there is one more thing," Cupid looked at her pointedly. "It is your responsibility to inform Ithilwen of your actions last night. You can tell her what you feel comfortable with as far as the project reports, however, the information that I have given you is to remain confidential at this time. Understood?"

Esther nodded vigorously. "Yes sir." It had come as a relief to hear that he wasn't furious, and it lifted a major weight off her shoulders. She still had a lot to explain herself for, and as soon as she collected the required items for Cupid she would make a stop in Burgess.

"Very well, then. You may leave and tell Jack Frost that I did not tear you to shreds." He grinned. "That boy seems to think I am some kind of maniacal demon with a heart of stone."

* * *

><p>Ithilwen was still sitting in Legolas' lap even after her tears had subsided. She rubbed her cheeks, embarrassed that she had made such a fool out of herself in front of him. "I'm sorry, Legolas," she sighed, not looking at him. "I didn't mean to do what I did earlier. I was doing so well when I was sitting up with Fiona, but then I go to sleep and seem to go to pieces all over you."<p>

Legolas smiled, even though she wouldn't look at him. He was relieved that she had gotten the outburst out of her system, even if she felt ashamed of her actions. He still rubbed her back in comfort and kept a firm hold of her small frame; he wasn't about to let her move away until she got it out. "It is alright, Ithilwen. It is better to let these things out than to hold them in. Why did you stay awake so late?" he asked, perplexed by her words.

"Oh, that." Ithilwen wasn't sure how to describe her decision to him. She was afraid she'd sound silly, but then she realized that she had previously bawled over him, so any dignity she had left was gone. "Well, after Fiona came and got me, we came home and she fixed me some dinner. Afterwards, we stayed up watching the late night programs in the den. Fiona kept telling me that I ought to go to sleep every couple of hours, but... I couldn't. I didn't want to go to sleep and not dream. I was scared that if I did, you wouldn't be there." She took the risk and glanced at Legolas to see him staring intently at her. "I know, I know! It's stupid! But I've gotten so used to meeting up with you in these dreams that to not scares me, considering what you were going through tonight."

"You were worried about me?" Ithilwen turned back to look at the elf, noting that his surprised tone of voice did not match the smirk he was currently bearing.

She smacked his shoulder lightly. "Of course I was!" she blurted out rather loudly. "I always worry about my friends!" Ithilwen's voice returned to its normal volume as she continued. "So really, are you all okay?"

Legolas' smirk moved into a small smile, glad to see that she was beginning to return to normal. "Yes, we are all well. I will be sure to tell the others that you expressed concern over their wellbeing." He paused, debating on whether to tell her his next piece of information or not. "Ithilwen, do you recall me mentioning that the Rohirrim were outnumbered at Helms Deep?"

Ithilwen nodded. "How bad was it?"

"Not as bad as you might think. You see, at the last minute, we had some assistance…" Legolas then recounted the events of his night to her, from the moment he woke to just before he went to rest. He left out a lot of the visual descriptions, but even a watered-down version had painted a rough image in her mind. It was the things that he didn't say that were filled with exaggerated scenarios, but none of that mattered when she was told of who exactly came to provide extra defense.

"Ada was at Helms Deep?!" Ithilwen's voice squeaked. "How is he? Is he alright? Why was he there?"

Legolas delved into the reasoning that Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel came to in sending an army of elves to assist the men of Rohan. It took some quick history lessons to explain to the elleth why they weren't there in the first place, from which she commented that it was a stupid reason to wait so long. He was pleased to see that she had such an open mind about things, but he wasn't sure if Haldir would be thrilled to find this out. Unlike his elven friend, the daughter was more than excited to be able to meet Gimli. "He suffered a small injury on his back, but he is doing well," he supplied. Legolas didn't want to scare her by telling her that the 'small injury' from the Uruk-hai broadsword had cut the length of his ribcage. It wasn't a deep cut, thanks in part to the now useless armor, but the mangled metal had served its purpose in saving its master's life.

Ithilwen breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Nana will be pleased to hear this as well."

"How is she?" Legolas asked.

"She's doing well. Better since she first learned about the dreams when you went to Lothlorien. She misses Ada and home terribly, and she's recently expressed interest in meeting you."

Legolas didn't bother to ask why. He had a feeling that from Ithilwen's description of him to Morwen, she already knew that he was a prince of Mirkwood, whereas Ithilwen did not. "And Fiona?" he asked.

"Busy," the elleth laughed. "Very busy. She's been doing more local work lately, but she's going to be on the other side of the country in a few weeks for a big event." Ithilwen had once tried to explain the concept of photography to Legolas, but she wasn't sure if he understood it half as well as he told her. Realizing early on how advanced the mortal world she was in was compared to middle-earth made for some simplified explanations that turned out not to be so simple at all. After all, showing how the gadgets worked would be more fun than explaining the process.

"What about yourself?"

"Myself?"

"Yes," Legolas pressed. "What all have you been doing during your days?" He was curious, because she never mentioned having an occupation like Fiona, even though hers wasn't a necessity. She had brought up many projects in conversation with him, and he hoped that boy had not deterred her from finishing any of them.

Ithilwen looked thoughtful, then down at herself, realizing that she was still sitting in his lap. A blush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks and she ducked her head, moving to slide out of his lap to sit beside him. Legolas moved his arms to allow her movement, knowing that she was not in any danger of a breakdown again. Once she was situated and felt that she could look up again, Ithilwen murmured an apology and answered his question. "I'm still working on my Sweet Pea costume. Gene's Uncle Jerry is making the pauldrons for me. He used to do some metalwork before he got his ranch in the shape its in, and he looks for any excuse to get his hands dirty. I've also got to put in an order for some boning for the corset-cloak before I can finish it. What I have is too weak for it to fit right." She tucked a strand of hair behind her pointed ear and looked back at him. "I guess the bright side is that I've got more time now to finish it!"

Legolas smiled at her attempt at humor, knowing full well that she was only trying to reassure him. 'You do not get over something like that when your emotions tear you up that severely. Ithilwen was prepared to end the relationship, so whatever Payne had said to her that night was bad for her to sound so broken.' "I am sorry, Ithilwen. I am relieved that you are no longer courting this boy, but I wish that it would have come to an end in a more civil manner." Legolas wanted to add that he would thoroughly enjoy stringing the mortal up by his short hairs and using him as a target, but refrained.

She shrugged, trying to show that she was accepting what had happened. "Thanks, Legolas. I wish it had too, but it's over and done with now."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Glad, in a way. Drained physically and emotionally in the other. Is it even possible to feel drained in a dream?"

He chuckled. "I feel physically exhausted. Does that tell you how rough the battle was tonight, for an elf to be tired?"

Ithilwen laughed. "It does!"

* * *

><p>As the dream progressed, the conversations drifted to different things. Legolas told Ithilwen about the killing contest he had going with Gimli. He even stated rather smugly that he was tied with Gimli for 43 kills, even though Gimli declared that the elf's last one was already dead by his axe. Ithilwen got a good laugh at that, especially when he added that the shaking of the axe caused the Uruk's leg to twitch.<p>

Ithilwen told him about Burgess and the Guardians of Childhood. Legolas seemed intrigued by the concept of the guardians and other spirits that worked in the realm, but one in particular person stood out in his mind. "This…Ber-nard," he sounded the name out slowly, "he is an elf as well?"

"Uh huh," she nodded. "He's the elf that assists North at his factory along with the yetis. ..What's that strange look for?"

"Nothing," Legolas said quickly. "I just assumed that you and Lady Morwen were the only elves in that realm, based on what you had told me before."

"We're the only two elves from middle-earth," she corrected him. "Bernard is a Christmas elf, a whole other type with different abilities. He's essentially a guardian, in my opinion. He's been working for the children of the world for far longer that Nana and I have been there."

The next question he asked caught her by surprise. "Has he ever courted you?"

Once she quit coughing from shock, she started to laugh, confusing him. "Bernard? No, heavens no! He's like a brother to me. Why do you ask?"

Ithilwen noticed that Legolas looked indifferent to her question and couldn't figure out why. "Merely curiosity," he replied. "Will you be able to say goodbye to them when the time comes?" He sounded concerned, because the way she spoke of these people, it wasn't hard to see that they had become an odd collective of family-friends. Leaving would mean that she would return to her true home, but she would be leaving so many behind.

"It's crossed my mind more than once, believe me," she said. "We all knew long ago that Nana's and my place was not in that world and have accepted that. It won't be easy to say goodbye, and I almost dread it, but I will be coming home at last. I know they'll be alright without Nana or I there, even if it does hurt at first." Her voice sounded strong when she spoke, but her eyes showed the tiredness of the earlier night's events coupled with the thoughts of leaving.

Legolas put an arm around her shoulders, drawing her small frame against his in a half-hug. "Will you do me a favor when you wake, Ithilwen?" She looked up at him questioningly. "Promise me that when you wake, that you will not linger in sadness over what has happened. That mortal is not worth the emotional stress that you have gone through, and to succumb would give him the satisfaction that he has hurt you. Do something for you, something you will enjoy."

Ithilwen smiled. "I can do that."

"Good. Because I will know if you don't," he emphasized with a tap to his breastbone, just above his heart.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope you got out of the turkey-coma. If you went out on Black Friday...more power to you and I hope you came out of the madhouse unscathed! ;) This was later than I hoped, mostly because I had set a deadline to take my math pre-assessment by December, and right now I'm not going to make it. :/ I still have two more units to get through once I can pass the linear equations unit. Basically I'm right at the end of term, and the sooner I can schedule my actual assessment (and pass), the sooner I'll finish so I can write more often. I've got 31 days left, so really I'm ahead. I know some of you guys must still be in school, so hang in there, okay? Don't let the burn-out slow you down! Study lots, but don't forget to take breaks too, cause they _will_ help, trust me. For some of my previous classes I actually rewrote my notes to help study; not only does it make it easier to reread the notes, but you're required to read them carefully as you write them out.

As for the story, a lot was filled in, as it was originally just Legolas and Ithilwen. I'm trying to fill in the gaps with my other OCs so they get more of a presence all around. And Esther got worked up for nothing! :) Cupid won't run her through the mill, but she still has to explain herself to Ithilwen. That alone should be interesting, since Ithilwen's view on Esther's actions could go either way. What do you think? Would you fault Esther if she 'influenced' you/your boyfriend/girlfriend into breaking up, when you felt it necessary but couldn't do it?


	17. Chapter 17

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring."

A small collective had gathered in the Golden Hall in the early hours of the morning after the drama that had recently unfolded with the Halfling and the palantir. Theoden was off to one side, feet from the space that Gandalf was currently pacing. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stood to the other side, joined by Haldir, Glorfindel, and the Peredhil twins. Merry and Pippin were not far away; Pippin looking more ashamed. No one looked pleased at the news regardless; the first decent night of rest since the battle of the Hornburg for many of them had been cut short.

"We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the palantír a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing. He knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength perhaps to challenge him. Sauron fears this." Gandalf looked towards the king. "He will not risk the peoples of Middle-earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne of Men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

Theoden did not seem as enthusiastic as Gandalf about the plan, and saw fit to say so. "Tell me; why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?"

"I will go," Aragorn stated. The others around him had made to follow in his stead until Gandalf put a stop to it.

"No!"

The ranger was still persistent. "They must be warned!"

"They will be." The wizard took a step forward to lower his voice as he spoke quietly to Aragorn. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river. Look to the black ships." As if he had not just dropped a mysterious clue for the ranger to figure out, he turned to face the rest in the hall. "Understand this: Things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith. And I won't be going alone," Gandalf finished, his gaze moving to the more naïve of the two hobbits.

The King of Rohan said nothing on the matter of the wizard's words. Instead, he scanned the room and was finally aware of the additional elves that occupied the space. He did not find their presence a bother, but not having many dealings with elves in recent times left him much to learn. His people were perplexed by the fairer creatures, and the level of openly staring would vary from person to person.

The one that traveled with Aragorn remained faithful to his comrade even in the darkest moments of that night. The other blond elf bearing the crimson cloak that had led the elven troops to the Hornburg must have been a commanding officer, he theorized. The elf spoke and carried himself as a leader in conversation and battle. The taller elf at his side with the golden hair looked both very old and very young, if it were possible. His armor was very different from the others around him; did he come from another elven realm, or was his rank that different? The other two remaining elves appeared so similar to each other that it was hard to tell them apart. Theoden could see that they were of nobility, but he could not help but notice that they also held a childish air about them as if they wished to make light of the situation to uplift the spirits of the rest of the room. Theoden found the lot of elves gathered in the room rather peculiar.

"What direction does Lord Elrond give your soldiers?" Theoden asked the marchwarden. His brain worked to recall that Aragorn had addressed him as Haldir in the rush of battle.

A commanding stare met the king's eyes. "For the time being, we are to remain in your stead. Our wounded are being escorted back to our lands. We offer our services to you and your people, your majesty."

One of the dark-haired ellyn leaned slightly towards the golden blond warrior. "I thought you were the captain?" he teased, a smile tugging at his lips when the elf spoke in a dialect of elvish that had the other ellyn chuckling.

Theoden wasn't certain, but it appeared that the golden blond elf might have been a captain of the guard, wherever he hailed from. He suspected that the two identical elves were relative, and given the tick in the taller elf's jaw, the teasing was not a new thing.

* * *

><p>Later in the morning, after Gandalf and Pippin made their journey to Minas Tirith, Haldir had once again cornered Legolas in the Golden Hall. From the journey back to Edoras and the detour the select few had taken with the king to Isenguard, he had not had the opportunity to pin Legolas down and pump him for information. The conversation that was to occur was not one that Legolas was looking forward to, but because of his manipulative friends, he had no place to run to. So it was that Legolas found himself wedged between Elladan and Elrohir, who were clueless to the situation but volunteered just for the entertainment of watching the prince squirm.<p>

"How is she?" Haldir began. "Did my daughter end the relationship with that mortal boy?"

"What is going on?" Elladan asked.

"Since we are playing bookends for the prince, we would like to be caught up in this tale," Elrohir added.

Haldir sighed, knowing that his nephews were right. "Since the beginning of the year, Legolas has been in contact with Ithilwen through dreams. She and your aunt have been in a modernized world far beyond our scope since their disappearance, which we believe to have been the result of a miscalculation on the late Saruman. Now tell me Legolas," he turned his attention once more to the matter at hand, "How is Ithilwen?"

"She… She is better," Legolas stated. He knew it was bound to come up but he really wished that he could avoid it. "The relationship has come to an end, just…not in the way that it was expected."

"How do you mean?" Haldir asked. Glorfindel, Gimli and Aragorn had come to join the elves at the table, eager to learn the news of the young elleth. He watched as the younger elf's face changed from apologetic to lethal, unsure of where the conversation was about to go.

"That boy," Legolas nearly hissed, catching the twins by surprise, "said something truly hurtful to Ithilwen as he blatantly told her that things had come to an end between them. She would not tell me what it was, but the way she had reacted was all that I needed to see to know that his words had hurt her. Never have I seen an elleth fall apart as Ithilwen did-"

"What happened?" the marchwarden demanded, perhaps a little louder than necessary, catching the attention of a few Rohirrim standing about the room. The idea that some mortal had hurt his daughter was inexcusable, and he was beginning to see red.

"I held her and did my best to comfort her as she let it out." Legolas responded, wisely choosing to leave out that he had gathered her in his lap. Judging by the murderous look Haldir was giving the wooden table, he knew he didn't want to be on the receiving end. "In time she calmed, and we began to talk of other things. I told her that you came into the battle, and that you received an injury but that you were doing well regardless."

"How come you didn't tell our cousin that we were there?" Elladan asked indignantly.

"I suppose the information that I followed Haldir as well is insignificant," Glorfindel feigned hurt.

"Our cousin probably does not remember you!" Elrohir retorted. "She was a mere babe when she was taken!"

"I am well aware of the facts. That does not make it any less displeasing to not be acknowledged-"

"Perhaps it was because there was not time?" Aragorn provided. The elf across the table made an uncharacteristic face in return while Glorfindel simply crossed his arms.

Haldir refrained from rolling his eyes and turned them back to Legolas. "She is doing better, then?" His voice had lost its venom once he had the opportunity to think clearly.

Legolas nodded. "She is. I told her that she should focus on herself during the day because she had been putting her work aside for the mortal's attempts at courting her. Ithilwen seemed more happy when we parted."

"Good. I thank you, Legolas. You don't know what it means to me to finally know about the goings on of my daughter. Did Ithilwen say anything about her mother?"

"She did. Lady Morwen is ecstatic to know that the connection between your daughter and myself exists. Ithilwen mentioned that she is keeping busy with her work, but that she always thinks of you. It seems that her spirits have been uplifted since she first learned about Ithilwen's ability."

Haldir smiled, hearing that news. The table fell to silence for a short time as everyone mulled over the new information. A gruff clearing of the throat brought everyone's attention to the dwarf who was sitting up straighter, stoking his beard thoughtfully.

"So which of ye lads will it be that gets their hands on this boy if ye were to see him?"

The malicious grin that made its way onto Legolas' face made the Peredhil twins almost scoot away on the wooden bench. They still had a lot of catching up to do, if that dark look was anything to go by.

* * *

><p>"You're looking especially cheerful today," Fiona remarked, seeing her elven friend come into the dining room. Morwen was sitting at the table with Esther and Toothiana as Fiona was preparing a midday meal. After the previous night and the late turn-in, it was decided to let Ithilwen sleep in, thinking the extra hours would do her some good. "From the looks of it, that sleep paid off," she winked knowingly.<p>

Toothiana looked up at the elleth. "Morwen told me about what happened to you last night. I am so sorry, Ithilwen. I wish I could have done something. Maybe we could get Pitch to torment him for a while."

Esther inwardly cringed at Tooth's words. She _had_ tried to do something, and it backfired like an old car being cranked after months of disuse. She had been on her way to Burgess when she was intercepted by Toothiana, who was finishing a run. When Esther told her where she was headed, Toothiana decided to come along as well. The blond tried not to be irritated by the addition, but she had to get Ithilwen by herself to talk. She didn't want to share her blunder with the elleth in front of everyone, even though they would find out in time.

Ithilwen slid into the chair beside Toothiana, accepting the plate that Fiona placed before her with thanks. "I wouldn't bother with it, Tooth," she said. "Pitch has told me that he's been having fun with the creepy pasta stories that are going up online. It's giving him great ammunition for the teenagers."

Tooth failed to suppress a giggle, having been a former victim to one of the pasta-games. "Sandy has been working overtime, though, going behind him and cleaning up the mess. I think he's enjoying it sometimes."

"Anyway, I'm pretty sure there's someone scarier than Pitch that Payne would be afraid of," Fiona said with a secretive smile aimed at Ithilwen.

"What does she mean, Ithilwen?" Tooth looked back and forth between the two. "She's been saying things like that since I've arrived, but she won't tell me anything."

"I wanted to wait until Ithilwen woke up so that if I got any of my facts wrong, she could correct me." Fiona pointed out. She took a seat across from Ithilwen and made herself comfortable before she started her explanation to the guardian. "Our Ithilwen here has been visiting a man in her dreams these past three months."

"Really?" Toothiana looked intrigued, turning to the elleth in question.

Ithilwen didn't look up from her sandwich as she corrected Fiona. "Legolas is an elf, not a man-"

"And a handsome one at that!" her friend interrupted, producing the sketchbook that Ithilwen had used to record her first visions of him. She had bookmarked the page and passed it across the table to the fairy as she continued. "It turns out that he also knows her father, and they're on a journey to destroy a ring."

"A ring?" Toothiana asked.

Morwen spoke up, having more knowledge of the subject than the two younger women. "This ring has the power to control the entire middle-earth. It is full of malice and dark energy, and those easily led are drawn to its power. They path that they're taking is a rough one; the last I heard the fellowship was broken and one member had fallen in battle."

"Speaking of battles," Fiona brought up, "How is he? Legolas and the others?"

"Exhausted, but otherwise fine." Ithilwen answered. "The battle at Helms Deep was rough; Legolas told me that it stretched into the early morning. Gandalf arrived with the king's nephew and their riders stormed the gulley and drove them into Fangorn Forest. He said it was both frightening and fascinating to see the Ents finish the job." Morwen was describing the race of the Ents to Toothiana when Ithilwen remembered what else she needed to say. When her mother finished speaking, she said, "Ada was sent with a troop to Helms Deep by the request of Uncle Elrond."

Morwen seemed to still at these words, afraid of the news that was to follow. "Oh? Did Legolas elaborate?"

"Of course," her daughter replied. The voice was not that of grief, so it couldn't have been bad, but still… "Other than a small cut on his shoulder blade, Ada is doing just fine. He says that he misses you greatly and longs for the day that he can come here."

Morwen smiled. "Good. I haven't seen him in so long that I may tackle him to the ground!"

The other women at the table laughed at the image. Once under control again, Fiona couldn't resist the urge to pry. "How did Legolas take the news when you told him that you broke up with Payne?"

Ithilwen pulled a face of disgust. "Don't you mean the other way round? And it's hard to say. When I woke in the dream world the emotional dam broke and I went to pieces right in front of him. He did say that he wished things had gone differently."

'My thoughts exactly,' Esther thought.

"I get the feeling that this Legolas sounds like the type to make a person disappear that had wronged you," Toothiana commented.

"Exactly!" Fiona smacked the table in earnest. "I've been trying to tell this girl that he sounds uber-protective of her, but she doesn't believe me!"

"That's because we're just friends!" Ithilwen retorted. "You're making a mountain out of a mole hill!"

"Easy now girls," Morwen calmed the table. "Let's not tease Ithilwen about her friend. And Ithilwen?"

"Yes?"

"A river in Egypt, sweety."

Ithilwen groaned, her head bumping the table in defeat. Ever since she had shown Fiona her drawing, her sister had been goading her about how handsome the ellon was. Now she kept asking why Ithilwen didn't "make a move", and since Payne was out of her life, it would only get worse. Why was it so hard to believe that an ellon and an elleth could be friends, with no attachments romantically? 'Besides,' she thought, rubbing her forehead delicately, 'it would just be weird. We're not even in the same world!'

* * *

><p>Toothiana had gone back on her rounds along the east coast a little while later, and when Fiona and Morwen moved elsewhere in the house to attend to their agendas, Esther knew she had to move. Ithilwen was alone for once, and it was the opportunity she needed.<p>

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked. "Somewhere alone?"

Ithilwen didn't seem to notice the hesitance in her friend's voice, but she nodded and led her outside to sit on the front porch. "Something on your mind?"

"Actually, yeah. It's a big thing, and I need to get it off my chest..." Esther looked out across the yard, hoping to find some object to focus on, anything but what unknown expression would cross the elleth's face. "You know that my work leads me to taking on many projects at once, right?"

"Sure. I don't know how you keep them all straight though."

"Well, organization's key, but...sometimes there are mistakes. Typically it's nothing major, like a set of notes being filed wrong, but there are times it can be a bigger mess that can't be stopped. Like a large rock rolling down a steep hill. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it leaves an impression."

Ithilwen folded her legs up in the chair and watched the guardian's expression. Whatever happened in Esther's work must have been bad, because she looked ready to cry. "Did you get in trouble?"

Esther looked at her in surprise. "What? Oh, no...no I got off easier than I thought I would, actually."

"Then what's the problem? You made a mistake. It was acknowledged, and now you can move past it."

"I can't move past it until I ask the person I hurt for forgiveness," Esther said, frowning. "I'm not sure if what I did can be forgiven though."

"I bet if you just tell them right out what happened, they'll understand," Ithilwen told her.

"Ithilwen," Esther pressed her lips together into a thin line. "It was you that I hurt."

The elleth looked confused, then looked all over herself to check for damages. "I'm fine," she reassured the young woman. "Really, no bruises or anything-"

"That's not what I mean," Esther cut her off. "I was the one that caused Payne to break up with you." There, she said it.

"I'm pretty sure Payne did all that himself."

Esther shook her head. "No, you misunderstand Ithilwen. Not too long ago I created a spell that would influence Payne's behavior to become so abhorrent that you would get the courage to call it quits. But I've had so much else going on that the spell...it worked too well and in all the wrong ways. That was why his behavior last night was so bad. It was my fault."

Ithilwen could only stare on at the guardian as she came clean. She knew the guardian was capable of magic, but she had been told once that it was reserved for special cases because it was unstable. She couldn't figure out why Esther would make the decision to use it, unless she was experimenting with stabilizing it? Was that it? Was she an experimental study?

Watching Ithilwen's expression go from startled to confused to concern bothered Esther greatly. She hadn't said anything, but her silent reactions were enough to tell her that her friend was pissed. "I know you're mad, and you have every right to be," she said, turning to face the elleth fully. "I am so sorry, Ithilwen. It was never my intention for what happened to happen in the first place!"

"Wait...mad? You think I'm mad?" Now Ithilwen was back to confused.

"Aren't you? I broke up your relationship-!"

"A relationship that was going to end soon enough," Ithilwen reminded her. "A relationship that had also progressed into him complaining about my appearance, my interests, and the lack of sex to be had." She ticked off each point with her fingers. "Really, it was going to end soon, Esther."

Esther could only look on in disbelief. "You're really not mad?"

"Not at you!" she laughed. "Him, yes, and for many reasons. You were only trying to help, and you did, believe me. I mean yeah the heads up would have been nice, but that's irrelevant now."

"Cupid doesn't want us to disclose our current work to those directly involved." Especially if they were friends with said works. Things would have just become awkward.

Ithilwen nodded. "I get that. So are you feeling better now that you told me?"

"Actually I feel sick over it," Esther murmured.

"Well don't be," she nudged. "What's done is done. Payne's gone. I'm not mad at you, and there's nothing to forgive. You were just doing your job, that's all."

Esther sighed. "I would have if I had gone to Heartbreak in the first place. I sort of...bypassed protocol to work this spell."

Ithilwen whistled low. "And Cupid let it slide that easily?"

"I know, I was surprised too. I think it's because you're not from this world that it was let go. Your culture's restrictions are probably what he was considering when he took the situation into account." Esther had to be careful, lest she let it slip that she had files on her home's history; something she absolutely couldn't reveal. "Even if I hadn't broken a rule, my magic in that area is still pretty weak," she admitted.

"So does that make me the pancake?"

"The what?!"

"The pancake," Ithilwen grinned at her. "You never heard the saying that the first pancake is always the goofy one? It's either not got enough batter, too much batter, it's oddly shaped, burnt, or not totally done?"

Esther was beginning to wonder about the elleth she was sitting next to. "You're serious."

"Yeah actually. So was I too gooey? I know I'm too pale to be burnt, and I jiggle already-" To prove it, Ithilwen half-jumped in her seat to prove that her curves jiggled.

"How does Morwen put up with you?" Esther muttered lowly, burying her face in her hands.

"Kinslaying's a no-no, and I have to get my jollies somehow. You know cause in this world elves are supposed to be jolly little creatures."

The guardian looked back up and over the elleth. "Don't take this the wrong way, but there ain't nothing little about you, Ithilwen."

"Hundred percent all me though," she replied. "And my goofiness did some good, it seems. You sound like you're in better spirits." Ithilwen leaned over and hugged Esther with one arm. "Really, it's okay. I've faced enough upsets in this world that I'm trying to find the humor in things. You know...look on the bright side of life..."

"Thank you, Ithilwen," Esther smiled once more, but frowned slightly moments later. "Did you just quote Monty Python?"

"If I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away-"

"You're ridiculous, Ithilwen-"

"Ni!"

"My god in heaven-"

"Every time I try to talk to someone it's 'sorry this' and 'forgive me that'and 'I'm not worthy'... "

Esther wasn't sure which was more ridiculous, the off-the-wall quotes or Ithilwen's gestures as she said them. 'Still,' she thought, watching her friend keep going, 'she took the news a lot better than I ever expected to hope.' Having been forgiven so easily by her charge had taken a considerable amount of stress off her shoulders, and Esther vowed to herself that she would make up for this blunder. There was a pile of information in her office that she hoped would be useful for that.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **Esther's been forgiven, but that doesn't mean that her work's done! She's still got that mountain of files Cupid gave her to make sense of, and her own set of adventures too. But now we've gotten over one hurdle, and the war is now creeping into Return of the King territory, so there's lots more ground to cover. The next chapter might not get rewritten for a few days at best; we'll see how the last leg of this homework goes before I schedule my assessment. The latest I can take the test is the 27th, and I want to finish the term well before that. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter or the story up to this point! :)


	18. Chapter 18

The sun was out fully, shining across the landscape as Gandalf and Pippin rode on Shadowfax at breakneck speed over the plains.

"We've just passed into the realm of Gondor," the wizard stated for the halfling's benefit as they came atop a hill to see the bleached stones of Minas Tirith in the distance. "Minas Tirith. City of kings."

Once within the city's borders, the sounds of Shadowfax's hooves clacking against the stone echoed up the many levels they crossed. Gandalf spoke above the noise to alert the pedestrians to part ways, though it was unnecessary. It wouldn't have been difficult to discern the sound of a horse galloping up the city streets.

It was in the courtyard that Gandalf helped Pippin down from the horse. His stride was long, making it difficult for the hobbit to keep a steady pace, especially when he noticed the large white tree resting in the middle of the area. "It's the tree. Gandalf. Gandalf!" Seeing the actual marker of his visions in the palantir only made Pippin's anxiety rise.

"Yes, the White Tree of Gondor. The tree of the king." Gandalf did not turn to acknowledge said tree, having seen it many times before. "Lord Denethor, however, is not king. He is a steward only, a caretaker of the throne."

At the entrance of the hall, the wizard paused, considering who was with him and the possibilities that could occur. "Now listen carefully. Lord Denethor is Boromir's father. To give him news of his beloved son's death would be most unwise." He paused again. "And do not mention Frodo or the Ring." Another pause. "And say nothing of Aragorn either." Finally, "In fact, it's better if you don't speak at all, Peregrin Took." His tone held a hint of amusement and tiredness from the journey. It's not that he intended to insult the hobbit; Gandalf knew that he seemed to lack timing at the worst occasions and saw fit to set some ground rules before they entered.

The doors parted at last, and the two slowly stepped through. The room was very bright and open. It would have been inviting if not for the slouched posture of a man dressed in dark robes sitting atop a dark chair at the end of the hall.

Gandalf chose to speak forth before they reached the man to alert him of their presence. Best to start buttering him up before he gets to the matters at hand. "Hail Denethor, son of Ecthelion, lord and steward of Gondor. I come with tidings in this dark hour and with counsel."

When Denethor looked up, it was not the look of welcome that one would have expected. Instead, the aged and gray face of the man showed grief and confusion, with possibly a hint of bitterness. "Perhaps you come to explain this." He held up the severed horn that Boromir carried. Gandalf looked surprised, but Pippin understood. He vividly remembered watching the man from this city take repeated arrows to the chest and continue to fight to protect Merry and himself. "Perhaps you come to tell me why my son is dead."

* * *

><p>"How you holding up, shortstack?"<p>

Ithilwen wrinkled her nose, even though the speaker on the other end couldn't see. "I'm nearly as tall as you, Gene."

"Nearly." The voice emphasized. "So how are you?"

"I'm...okay I guess. What's there to be upset about? It was going to end sooner or later anyway."

After having talked about it - to a degree - with Legolas, and then learning of Esther's part in the whole thing, Ithilwen found that she didn't care much about the loss of a relationship. She wanted to end things, and now they were. However it seemed that everyone else was walking on eggshells around her on the topic, even her own mother! Why was it so hard to grasp that she was fine?

Ithilwen hadn't been listening too closely to Gene's ramblings about girls and their weird coping mechanisms, at least not until she heard him mention Legolas. "...What'd you just say?"

"I said that Fiona was talking to Will about that elf soldier you've been seeing," Gene told her. "Seems like you're doing just fine to me!"

"Elf sold-? He's a warrior, Gene. And he's my friend, so I don't know what you're talking about."

"Did he not give you a ring?"

"Friends can give friends gifts," she replied, not realizing that she was reaching for the chain around her neck at its mention.

"Fi told me that it looked really old," Gene continued. "like it was a family heirloom type ring."

"Legolas told me his mother told him to give it to who he felt deserved it." 'Though I still don't see how I qualify...'

"Honey, you cannot be that dumb. In fact, I know you're not. I've watched you fly though Bubblewitch levels without items. He gave you his mother's ring, Ithilwen! Friends don't do that!"

"Well apparently elves do!" she shot back. "His mother told him to take the ring - that doesn't imply that it was hers!"

"You say friends, I say friends with benefits."

"Gene-"

"I gotta go, sweetie! Will's here. Good to hear you're doing better - talk soon!"

Ithilwen wanted to sling her phone across the room in frustration. She loved her friends, she really did, but damn if they didn't drive her crazy! Legolas was her friend. There was no way he would have given her the ring if he had an ulterior motive, would he? She looked down at the piece of jewelry and watched the light reflect off the green stone. It was pretty, and Fiona was right in that it looked old...but they were elves, so of course it would be old! What would be the point in owning a piece of jewelry if it weren't as resilient as the wearer?

She snorted lightly, tucking the chain back under her shirt collar. Just because Fiona and Gene were going shipper-bananaballs because she had an ellon for a friend did not mean that they were anything more.

* * *

><p>"The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!" Aragorn was out of breath as he came bursting through the doors of the Golden Hall.<p>

Theoden looked up from the map spread across the table he was leaning over at the exclamation. Everyone in the room was now focused on the response from their king. Eowyn had jogged up to Eomer's side at the sound of the noise in hopes of catching her uncle's response. He didn't respond at first, but calmly proclaimed, "And Rohan will answer!"

Shortly thereafter, Theoden came striding out of the Golden Hall in his armor, throwing orders left and right to his nearest men. "Muster the Rohirrim! Assemble the Men at Dunharrow. As many Men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor and war. Gamling!"

"My lord." Gamling was at his side nearly an instant later.

"Make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow."

"I will."

Meanwhile, down at the base of the Golden Hall, the few ready to ride out were finishing prepping their horses. Aragorn took notice of Eowyn leading her horse out to join those prepared.

"Will you ride with us?" he asked.

"Just to the encampment." She answered calmly. "It's tradition for the Women of the Court to farewell the men."

Aragorn lifted the saddle blanket of her horse up to reveal the concealed sword. The shieldmaiden snatched it back down, hiding the sword again, giving him a slightly dirty look that said 'Don't you dare tell'.

"The men have found their captain. They will follow you into battle, even to death. You have given us hope." She turned away, leaving him to think over her words.

Back at the top of the stairs, Merry kneeled before Theoden with his sword. "Excuse me. I have a sword. Please accept it. I offer you my service, Théoden King."

Theoden smiled slightly, brining the hobbit back to his feet. "And gladly I accept it. You shall be Meriadoc, esquire of Rohan." Merry smiled with pride as he sped off down the steps to prepare to leave with the others.

Of the few actually ready to depart were the small collection of elves and one dwarf. One dwarf that was already beginning to gripe.

"Horse-master. I wish I could muster a legion of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy."

Legolas pursed his lips and refrained from making a smart comment. There would be plenty more opportunities in the future. "Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands." He looked to his side to see Haldir observing the Men of Rohan. "What is the real reason that Lord Elrond asked for your troops to stay?"

Haldir looked back to the prince. "These men will be outnumbered. You are aware of that, and you continue to stay."

"I made a vow back in Rivendell that I would see to it that Frodo gets the ring to Mordor-"

"You also told Ithilwen that you would be there when I go to bring them back from that world-"

"I intend to keep that promise." Legolas assured him. "You are here as well, and you know the risks," he turned the words back on the marchwarden.

Haldir nodded. "By order and by choice." At Legolas' perplexed look, he added, "By order of my lords and by my own choice to make sure that you keep your promise to my daughter."

Gimli's grumbled complaints turned to chuckles listening to the two elves converse. Legolas would have thwacked him if he wasn't behind him on the horse. The twins and Glorfindel rode over to the small collection of outsiders after directing orders to the other elven troops that had volunteered to stay behind.

"We heard something about a promise-" Elladan started.

"-and our dear cousin. Now what is this-" Elrohir continued.

"-that we have missed? Again, if we might add," they finished.

Haldir rubbed his face. "I wish that the two of you would not do that," he spoke.

The dwarf chose the moment to fill them in. "The lass has been told that after the war has passed, her father and the lad here will be finding a way to get to their world to bring them home. Haldir intends to make sure that Legolas doesn't break his promise."

There was a pause as they contemplated this information, followed by the chorus of, "We want to go with you."

"What?" Haldir asked.

"We want to go!" Elladan repeated.

"She's my daughter," the marchwarden said.

"She's our cousin," Elrohir stated.

"She's Legolas' lass!" Gimli threw in, not able to resist.

"She is not!" Legolas blurted out. Gimli laughed, because he made his friend uncomfortable. Haldir was giving him a funny look, which made the dwarf laugh more. Elladan and Elrohir were beginning to smile deviously, catching onto his words and storing this bit of information away for future use. "She is just a friend!" he reiterated. He was beginning to lose count of how many times he's had to correct that assumption.

No more words were said on the matter, though Haldir was beginning to wonder if there was merit to the dwarf's teasing as they rode out. Eomer was on his horse, shouting out to the Rohirrim as they began to move.

"Now is the hour! Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken. Now fulfill them all! To lord and land!"

* * *

><p>"Ow…ow….ow….OW! DAMMIT ALL TO FREAKING HELL!"<p>

To say that Ithilwen was making progress on her Sweet Pea costume would be a lie. Well, not particularly a lie, as there has been progress, just nothing significant that day. It seemed like her emotions were on edge ever since she started working to pin the lining to the leather. She couldn't figure it out. She had woken up with no issues. Nothing was particularly wrong that could be fixed quickly, so why was she so antsy?

She rocked back on her heels to survey the damage of her fingers. The dress mannequin stood almost mocking her frustrations. If it had a head she would have done cut it off twenty pricks ago. Her fingers were getting tender, and she absently wondered if she hadn't already lost a pint of blood from all of the little holes littering her skin.

Ithilwen sucked her thumb, her newest civilian caught in the crosshairs, as she pondered about what could be wrong. The radio playing in the background switched back to the dj who talked about the weekend events. Normally she wouldn't pay much attention, but once it hit her that it was nearing the middle of the month, the gears began to turn.

"Oh f-" Then the pains hit.

Sprinting up to the bathroom, she had nearly shook the mirror over the sink with the force of her tossing the door closed. The pains didn't make it easier for her to unbutton her jeans, and if she was assuming correctly, she'd be trading them in for sweats anyway.

If anyone else had been in the house, they would have heard silence, followed by colorful string of curses. "DAMMIT ALL TO HELL!"

* * *

><p>At Dunharrow, Legolas was walking with Gimli as they surveyed the area when he felt something strange. It was a sharp pain, like a knife ramming into his abdomen. Peculiar, since he was physically fine, but that didn't stop the next sharp pain from making him take a breath and nearly bend over where he stood.<p>

"Ye alright, laddie?"

Legolas was about to answer when another pain hit, and all he could do was shake his head. Gimli was surprised by the elf's reaction, having seen him take bigger hits at Helms Deep. He noticed that Eowyn was feet away and made to flag her down.

Taking note of the clearly-in-pain elf at the dwarf's side, she jogged over to meet them. "What is wrong?"

"Not sure, my lady," Gimli shrugged. "Legolas was fine minutes ago, until he grabbed his stomach and bent over like that. Do you happen to know if there are any healers around?"

Eowyn shook her head. "I will see what I can do." She took Legolas by the arm and carefully led him over to a nearby tent, with Gimli right behind him. Once she had the elf sitting down on a cot, she began to run through a series of questions that might pinpoint the problem. "Where do you hurt, my lord?"

Legolas motioned to his stomach and hip area. "It feels as if I am being stabbed by an orc blade repeatedly," he breathed out. "I am fine, but if feels as if I should be bleeding profusely." His face changed from anguish to worry as he looked to Gimli. "You don't think it is Ithilwen?"

"The lass? I hope not."

Eowyn watched the exchange, realization beginning to dawn on her. "This...Ithilwen, my lord. She is the woman that you speak to in dreams?" Gimli had spoken of Ithilwen to her on their way to Helm's Deep, long before the surprise warg ambush. She was skeptical at first, but thinking over it, she knew that she did not know all there was about elves and filed it away as a mystery. Now that she saw the effects of the empathic connection, it made more sense. Upon Legolas' nod of confirmation, she continued. "My lord, I believe I know the answer to your ailment, and it indeed lies with Lady Ithilwen."

"You believe she is hurt?" He asked in a panic.

She shook her head. "I believe that she might be in pain, but pain that she has already experienced." Legolas did not catch on to her hint, so she had to try again. "Every woman goes through this pain, usually a few days each month…" When he still didn't comprehend she had one last attempt, but by this point she was looking flustered. "It means that she is not with child!"

Gimli blushed, once he realized what she meant, and it wasn't long before the elf's face turned an interesting shade of pink all the way to his ears. "You are implying that…" He couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Yes, my lord," Eowyn smiled. "I will see about finding a brew of tea for your… pains." Before she turned to go, she looked back at the prince. "My lord, I may speak out of turn when I say this, but you have been given a gift. Not many men can claim that they know the pains that a woman experiences."

After she left the tent, Legolas laid back on the cot and groaned out, "Doesn't seem like a gift to me." Outside, passerby near the tent were startled to hear the raucous laughter of Gimli echo out and across the camp, followed by the Sindarin equivalent of "Shut up, shut up, shut up!".

Haldir entered with the cup of tea made for Legolas much later. "Lady Eowyn asked me to give this to you for…pains." After handing him the cup, he added, "This connection you have with my daughter is becoming disturbing."

"You don't say," Legolas replied dryly, sipping the tea. Gimli broke out into chuckles again.

* * *

><p>Ithilwen was standing in the bathroom, stripped down to her underwear glaring daggers at the bucket that sat in her bathtub, filled with water and her soiled garments. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't surprised that she started late; being so upset lately must have caught up to her cycle. That still didn't make it any better, she thought, wincing as the cramps got steadily worse.<p>

"Feels like the battle for Middle Earth is going on in my damn uterus," she grumbled, making her way out of the bathroom to her closet. As it was, there wouldn't be any more work done on her costume today unless the ibuprofen she needed to take worked quickly. All she wanted at that moment was to put on some baggy sweats, a t-shirt, and gorge on a big bowl of ice cream.

The elleth grabbed the first two items she saw and moved to sit on the edge of the bed to dress. As she sat down and looked at herself, she finally noticed. "Bruises." Ithilwen looked down her legs, across her abdomen, and with some interesting twists, she saw a few on her back. "The hell?" She took the chance to poke one of the bruises on her left thigh. "Huh, doesn't hurt. How about that." So why did she have them? She obviously didn't get them, or she would have remembered hurting herself…unless…

"Legolas." That elf had told her that he was exhausted, but he didn't say anything about getting hurt! Annoyed now, she shrugged on her change of clothes and wobbled down the hallway to the stairs. "He's gonna get an earful the next time I see him-" She winced again from another wave of cramps. "-after ice cream. And ibuprofen. And a nap."

* * *

><p>When Ithilwen realized she was in the dream world, she noticed that she was outside once more, an encampment, more or less minus the snores of the soldiers that would have been there in reality. She hiked her gown up and padded through the camp, relieved to find that she was sans-cramps here. She found him standing a ways off looking out into the distance. Ithilwen thought the moonlight reflecting off him was a nice touch, even serene, but then she remembered her discovery from earlier. "Do you mind telling me why you forgot to mention that you got hurt at Helms Deep, Legolas?"<p>

"Hurt?" He whipped around to find her standing a few feet away. Her gown was bunched up in her hands, showing off her bare feet and calves. The scene would have been adorable if it weren't for the pouting look of anger that she sported. "I wasn't hurt-"

"Bullshit," she interrupted him, "I saw the bruises. I _have _the bruises!"

Legolas would have laughed hearing her swear, but her admission startled him. "Bruises?"

"Yes!" She said exasperated. "On my stomach, legs, back…probably in places that I didn't know I had!" In a few steps she found Legolas kneeling in front of her, raising the fabric of the gown a few inches to see one of the bruises just above her left knee. "Hey, what are you doing?!" she shrieked, letting the fabric fall to the ground. 'Did he seriously just try and look up my skirt?!'

"Why didn't you tell me that you were hurting?" he retorted, ignoring her question.

Ithilwen stood there dumbfounded. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "I didn't hurt myself- okay well I did prick myself with some pins working but other than that I've just got cra-" Frozen mid sentence, she knelt down to his level when she asked, "You've got my cramps, don't you?"

"That is what Lady Eowyn assumes," he replied, feeling uncomfortable about the whole conversation.

She couldn't help but laugh; the concept alone was amusing. "Poor baby," she cooed, silently forgiving him for neglecting to tell her about the bruises. The cramps were payback, it seemed. "You did know that women-"

"Of course!" Legolas said indignantly. "I just didn't know that they hurt so much. If more men knew of this, they might take women more seriously when they say that they are unwell. I must admit that being here is a relief; I do not feel them anymore."

"Enjoy it," Ithilwen said, moving to sit and stretch out her legs. "Cause mine usually last for about two days, including the day it starts. I've been taking some medicine, maybe it will help on your end."

Legolas mimicked her movements. "Anything would be a blessing. Gimli is far too amused at this news. Haldir, on the other hand, finds it disturbing." He reached down and took one of her hands in his to inspect it. "You said that you pricked your fingers earlier. Does this have to do with your costume?"

Ithilwen nodded. "I was trying to pin the lining to the leather of the cloak, but it seemed like each time I got the pin through the fabric it went through me." The elf beside her softly rubber the hand he held between his, and the action was so relaxing to her that she might have fallen asleep if she wasn't dreaming already. "So where are we now? Last time we met you guys had made it back to Edoras."

"Gondor has sent a request for aid," Legolas explained. "We are at the Dunharrow, according to King Theoden. In two days we will ride to Gondor...at least, they will. Aragorn, Gimli, and myself will be taking another path. I suspect your adar and cousins will be joining us, regardless of Aragorn's wishes."

"From the sounds of it, he doesn't know you two are going, does he?" Legolas laughed and shook his head. "Where are you going, if not with the Rohirrim?"

"We take the road to the Dimholt. A door lies under the mountain where we will seek our path."

"I think I know of that mountain," Ithilwen began, surprising Legolas. "Is that not where the ghosts of a king and his men lie that were betrayed?"

"Yes, how did you know that?"

She smiled. "Nana has taught me some history of Middle-earth. I'm not stupid, I just lack some of the proper texts."

"I never said you were." He protested.

Ithilwen waved him off with her free hand. Both forgot that he still held her other hand. "You didn't. Some in the past have claimed otherwise because I'm female. It's just the way it is in this world, and it's fun to surprise people that don't expect much from you. Keeps them on their toes. By the way," she changed the subject, "how are my cousins?"

"Incorrigible as always," Legolas responded quickly. "They are being brought up to speed on your life and have made it clear that they wish to travel with Haldir and myself after the war. Lord Elrond has sent them with a small number of elves to replace the injured incurred at Helms Deep." A wave of something crossed Legolas' face, making Ithilwen curious. "I fear that our time may be cut short this evening."

"So soon?" Ithilwen almost wanted to whine. "I'll be glad when this war's over and I can talk to you properly."

Legolas stood, pulling Ithilwen up to her feet with the hand he still clasped. "I will see you soon," he said, placing a light kiss on her forehead.

Ithilwen managed to get out a "Be careful!" before she awoke to feel the stabbing pains of cramps once again.

* * *

><p>"Just where do you think you're off to?"<p>

It should have been easy to coral his horse into sneaking away from camp undetected. Most were asleep if not on their way there. However, nothing is easy when you've traveled with elves and dwarves.

Aragorn didn't bother to turn around, only sighed. "Not this time. This time you must stay, Gimli." A grunt of disapproval met his ears, making him turn to see Legolas walking up with his horse ready to leave.

"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?" he asked smugly, knowing that they had won.

Gimli shifted in his stance. "You might as well accept it. We're going with you, laddie."

Swift movements and muffled hooves appeared shortly thereafter. As Legolas had predicted to Ithilwen earlier, Glorfindel, Elladan, Elrohir, and Haldir were packed and ready to go. "Don't go thinking that you will leave us behind, Estel," Elladan said.

"We will all reconvene at Gondor, I see no reason why we should not accompany you on this mission," Haldir told Aragorn with finality.

"And on an amusing note it will be far more entertaining to watch Haldir pick Legolas for information about his daughter," Glorfindel grinned, but the prince saw nothing funny about it. Needless to say that his...shared ailment...with Ithilwen had not been kept secret for long once the Captain of the Imladris forces caught on.

Moments later, the horses bearing the ranger, dwarf, and five elves calmly made their way through Dunharrow towards the shadowed road that lead to the mountains. Soldiers that were not yet asleep began to ask questions to each other.

"What's happening? Where is he going?" One would ask.

Another shouted out to get the ranger's attention. "I don't understand. Lord Aragorn!" he looked around at his comrades. "Why does he leave on the eve of battle?"

Gamling stepped forward. "He leaves because there is no hope."

"He leaves because he must." Theoden was quick to correct him.

"Too few have come," Gamling insisted. "We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor." His hope was all but gone. Even with the additions that had been gathered along the way, and even with the assistance of the elves, there would not be enough.

His king did not disagree to the statistics. "No, we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless," he added with determination.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** A quick update, as there wasn't much new material to add to this chapter. Most of my coursework is complete, and all that's left is to study and pack up the courage to get the test over with. Gotta admit that it's killing my motivation to write (along with everything else), but I'm also stressed out, so once things start getting straightened out, it'll be easier to write. If you've got finals or final projects or papers or what have you, stay strong! You can do it! :)


	19. Chapter 19

When dawn approached the following morning, Theoden found his niece standing alone, staring out into the distance. Her stance was still and her arms crossed, lost in thought. "I have left instruction," he announced, coming to stand beside her. "The people are to follow your rule in my stead. Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras if the battle goes ill."

He wasn't expecting Eowyn's response to be so…bland. "What other duty would you have me do, my lord?"

Turning and taking her hands, he tried to explain himself. "Duty? No. I would have you smile again." His spirits were lifted slightly to see a fraction of a smile cross her face, even if it might have been forced. "Not grieve for those whose time has come." he continued, cupping her face in his hands and resting her forehead to his. "You shall live to see these days renewed. No more despair," he assured her before leaving her to return to her thoughts.

Thinking back to the previous day, Eowyn recounted all of the things that she had picked up on from the now-departed travelers. Aragorn had told her that her feelings were not true. That stung, but the more she thought on it, she couldn't help but feel that he may have been right. Perhaps it was the ideals that he carried that she found attractive? She should have known that her feelings – true or not – would not be reciprocated when she saw the elf return the jewel he'd said come from a woman that would be sailing for the Undying Lands. The care that he held in that necklace said volumes.

Then there was the elf, or Lord Legolas, as she had come to address him, despite his requests otherwise. He was peculiar, she learned since the day they arrived at Edoras. His story was more peculiar when she learned of the woman that he visited in dreams, but yesterday had taken the cake in terms of peculiarity. She had heard of empathic-shared connections, but they were usually between lovers. Lord Legolas had on more than one occasion stated otherwise to the amusement of his companions. She truly did smile then; she shouldn't have laughed the day before when she left the tent, but there was something about it that was too funny.

She wondered about the young elf woman he called Ithilwen. Eowyn had never had many dealings with the fair race before, so to speak candidly with one was fascinating to her. She had told the elf that should the opportunity arise, the young woman would always have an invitation to visit Rohan.

Of course, that was if the war turned to their favor. Eowyn shuddered as a breeze passed. Best to try and stay positive, even if that meant staying put. Or did she…?

* * *

><p>The path to the Dimholt was dark, narrow, and pointy. The horses had to take the path in single file; it had long passed the point of riding side by side.<p>

"What kind of an army would linger in such a place? " Gimli wondered.

"One that is cursed." Legolas began to recite some of his history lessons as an elfling. "Long ago, the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last King of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge." He ducked a low-hanging branch. "Who shall call them from the great twilight? The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."

"Seems a vague description of our brother," Elrohir deadpanned from the back of the group.

Aragorn led his horse forward until they reached the end of the path. The space had widened significantly so that they gathered in a huddle and dismounted. The atmosphere was dark and grey, almost as if there were a blanket of fog across the ground.

The eerie silence made the dwarf shudder in his armor. "The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away."

Legolas observed the paintings on the rock positioned above the opening. "The way is shut," he translated. "It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it. The way is shut."

"Forgive me for stating the obvious," Glorfindel interceded, "but that looks like a wide opening. Not to mention the inaccuracy of the scripture." When Haldir looked at him with a raised brow he added, "Would it not be simple to go around the dead, given that they are in fact dead?"

"If we were fools we might think as much," the marchwarden replied. "Given our histories, the implications of cursed souls guarding a passageway is one of the more normal events we have encountered to date."

"My brother has his moments, but even he would seriously consider it," Elladan stated bluntly. Grasping the reins a little tighter in their hands, they group approached the entrance. A blast of air came from the tunnel they neared, and the horses became frantic, breaking out of their rider's grips and galloping off to safety.

"Brego!" Aragorn shouted, knowing it was pointless. The horse had more sense than he did at the present to get the hell out of dodge. Regardless, he turned and looked back into the tunnel of the mountain. "I do not fear death!" he stated firmly before taking off into the darkness.

Legolas hesitated briefly before following Aragorn. He didn't want to go in there, but knew that he had no other options and wouldn't leave his friend to the task alone. That left Glorfindel, Gimli, Haldir, and the twins to watch their departure.

"Well, this is a thing unheard-of." Gimli said surprised, "An Elf will go underground where a Dwarf dare not! Oh! Oh, I'd never hear the end of it!" He stamped his feet a few times in frustration, forgetting that there were four elves beside him that hadn't moved either.

"I've already died once," Glorfindel stated to the group. "I hesitate not out of cowardice, but out of a desire to not be buried under a mountain of rock!"

"Why do you think that would happen?" Gimli adjusted his grip on his ax.

"Quite simple, Master Dwarf," Glorfindel shuddered. "I am paranoid."

Silence fell among them.

"We told Adar that we would follow Aragorn," Elrohir stated.

"Yes, yes we did," Elladan agreed.

Haldir snorted. "Legolas is younger than the both of you and he didn't hesitate as long as you are!"

"Well then why are you still standing here, Master Elf?" Gimli asked, almost mocking.

The marchwarden adjusted his robes. "To make sure that you four do not back down. Now who is going first?" More silence followed the question, and he nearly growled, "Fine. We go together. Now!" As they made their way into the darkness, he added, "Not a word of this is to be breathed to anyone or I will own the tongue of the speaker."

It was a mutual agreement since none of the five wanted to admit to nearly chickening out and attempting to go around the mountain to meet Aragorn and Legolas on the other side.

* * *

><p>Ithilwen found herself laughing as another of North's elves fell into the egg-dying river of the Warren. Easter was quickly approaching, and Bunnymund had enlisted all willing hands to help make sure he had enough eggs to hide around the world. Fiona and Morwen had also agreed to assist the pooka and the guardians, though it seemed like some were more for talking than painting.<p>

Jack would occasionally paint a snowflake on one. North's were nearly always decorated like Christmas presents. Toothiana's were closer to Easter colors, but one had to watch what she would write – she was bad to put things about flossing with a handful of eggs. Sandy's weren't quite with the theme, but his had a shimmer effect that Bunnymund was pleased with. Phil the Yeti would groan uncontrollably whenever Bunnymund would tell him to change the color – especially after a large pile was just painted. Fiona's collection of eggs were painted with a child-like hand for variety. Morwen's held an elegant script of Tengwar that read 'Happy Easter' – or a close translation, as she assured the pooka. It's not like any of the children would be able to decipher the language, much less realize that it was a language, so he consented.

Ithilwen didn't have a set theme for her eggs – she just painted what came to mind for that egg. Bernard was sitting nearby when he caught sight of her current design. "What's this theme? Mechanics?"

"Steampunk." She held the egg up to better show him. The egg was wearing painted goggles and a vest in an Easter palette of earth tones. "See, he's an Airship Pirate Egg." She grinned cheekily.

Bernard laughed at her. "How have you been lately? I heard from Tooth about what happened down here. I'm sorry it went down like it did."

The elleth shrugged it off. "It's alright, Bernard. Everyone's been telling me that, and I keep telling everyone that I'm getting past it. At least now I don't have to worry about it anymore. And I'm doing better, thanks for asking. It's given me more time to work on Sweet Pea, as a plus." She chose not to mention Esther's influence over the events out of respect for her friend. The guardian was still getting past the guilt she had accumulated, and Ithilwen didn't want to add more by mentioning her involvement at all.

"How's… well… how are things…?"

"In middle-earth?" she asked. He nodded. "Things are rough. Legolas told me that they are leaving the Dunharrow camp to go to the Dimholt."

Before she could explain to the confused Christmas elf, Morwen's voice carried across the Warren. "The Dimholt? Who is going and why?"

"Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli, Ada, Elladan, Elrohir, and Lord Glorfindel. Apparently Uncle Elrond gave Aragorn instruction to go seek the Dead King's Army. Is this bad?"

Morwen flashed her a smile. "Aragorn is with them, my dear. Do not concern yourself. He should be able to convince the King to assist him." She thought it odd that the Gondolin captain would be with them, but then he must have come with the warriors from Rivendell. "By the way, how are you feeling today?"

"Better than yesterday but still aching. It turns out that I'm not alone in my suffering," she added with a wink to her mother. The words took but a minute to register and the older woman had broken out into peals of laughter.

Bunnymund came hopping over to check on the progress when he saw Morwen succumb to laughter. "Eh, sheila," he asked Ithilwen, "What's got your mum in such a tizzy?"

"Just sharing war stories," Ithilwen answered with a grin. "They're all in one piece," she added. "My friends back home, and the eggs."

The pooka nodded, patting her on the shoulder with his large paw. "Good to hear. Interesting take with this little guy," he commented on the steampunk egg. "Keep it up, everybody!" he bounced off to other parts of the Warren.

* * *

><p>When the sun had risen a little more in the morning sky, haste was afoot in the Dunharrow camp. The men were putting out fires quickly and the women of the court that had traveled along were packing away the remnants of shelter for their journey back to Edoras. Some were already on their horses, agitated to get going.<p>

Theoden swept from his tent in a flurry of armor. "We must ride light and swift," he told Eomer. "It is a long road ahead. And man and beast must reach the end with the strength to fight." Eomer nodded and left his side to collect his horse while Theoden hoisted himself up, passing Merry with his white pony along the way. "Little Hobbits do not belong in war, Master Meriadoc."

Merry looked put out by the words. "All my friends have gone to battle. I would be ashamed to be left behind," he reasoned.

Theoden, however, was not informed as to the backstory of his kin. "It's a three-day gallop to Minas Tirith, and none of my Riders can bear you as a burden."

"I want to fight!"

"I will say no more," he said, riding off. He didn't want to do it, but he felt it in the best interests of the Halfling. How was he to know that two of his friends were on a near-certain one-way trip to Mount Doom?

Poor Merry stood there, feeling lost as he watched the Rohirrim pass him by. It took him by surprise to feel the grip of one rider pull his small frame up onto the horse in front of him.

At least, he assumed it was a him until he heard "him" speak. "Ride with me," the rider said, securing an arm around the hobbit to prevent him from falling.

"My Lady!" he said, proud to be riding with the White Lady of Rohan, disguised as a man.

They fell into step with the other soldiers, easily becoming unnoticeable in the mass. Up ahead, both could hear the shouts of Eomer and Theoden.

"Form up! Move out! Form up! Move out!" Their captain herded them like armored sheep out of the camp.

Theoden was leading them up front. "Ride! Ride now to Gondor!"

* * *

><p>The "meeting", if one could call it that, with the King of the Dead could have gone a lot worse. Nearly being swallowed by the thousands of skulls of those unfortunate enough to not escape was not the worst way they could have perished in the situation. There were also the chunks of rocks that came down that just as easily could have crushed them like berries.<p>

None of it mattered, though. Aragorn hit his knees as he saw the black ships of the Corsairs on the river. Faintly he registered Legolas' hand rest on his shoulder in some form of comfort. What was the point, when their last hope for assistance was all but gone? In the distance they could hear the last trickle of skulls and rock roll across the landscape, but it was not this noise that made Aragorn turn to look behind him.

The noise was a haunted one, coming from the King of the Dead and his men, damned to walk the earth until the curse was lifted. "We fight," the king said.

* * *

><p>She could feel the cold air bite at her exposed skin, the wind slapping at her loose hair strands, stinging the nearly-frozen tears that ran down her cheeks. She could see the snow begin to fall as the sun set over the makeshift memorial to the fallen child. It collected on the hastily-made cross that was strung with the personal effects of her first love.<p>

The news rang out about the lake swallowing the boy in its frigid grip almost instantly. Unable to believe the words of others, she had sprinted to the lakeshore to bear witness to the busted hole in the weak spots of the ice. There was no way to recover his body. No one would survive the search in the arctic cold snap, so a meager funeral had been arranged.

She spent the weeks following her loves' demise in a haze, unable to comprehend that he was gone. Somehow, the hard winter seemed even colder without his playful antics and mischievous smile...

Esther shot up in her bed, covered in sweat and tears. She sniffled, wiping furiously at her cheeks when she felt the wet trails at last. It had been a long time since she had woke up crying, and it wasn't like these dreams were rare. 'It must be the stress,' she mused, staring at the wall across from her bed. 'I've been holding everything in, and now I'm waking myself up crying. I must be going round the bend.'

The dreams themselves, as heartbreaking as they were, actually occurred on a regular basis. It was something she had gotten used to, in a morbid sort of way. They were routine, each playing out in the same pattern. Each time they felt just as real as the day that they happened. Many times she wondered if there had been anything she could have done, if given the chance, but all scenarios she considered still lead to the same fatal conclusion.

'I did have a choice,' she thought, scooting out of the bed. 'I could have changed my fate, but I was so broken.' Esther went to the bathroom to wash her face. Her reflection showed that the dark circles beneath her eyes had faded some, but she was still exhausted. 'Hell, I still am broken,' she thought bitterly.

Her future had been set out before her, even as a smaller child, and she hadn't minded until her future was taken from her. Esther had been left behind in a predicament that she could have resolved, had she been able to shake her severe depression. Alas, the fates were not meant to be kind to her, for her new "future" had been rocky from the start, falling apart beneath her feet the further she went. And now, they were still not forgiving, saddling her with ill-begotten memories while she had to watch the blissfully ignorant go about their merry way. Possibly never knowing the what-could-have-been, to add further salt to the proverbial wounds Esther carried.

Esther attempted to finger-comb her hair, only to grunt in frustration and give up. "Love sucks," she told her reflection, whose sour expression only complimented the statement.

* * *

><p>Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Haldir, Glorfindel, Elladan, and Elrohir were standing side by side on the bank of the river, watching the ships steadily creep toward them. Elladan tilted his head slightly as he watched. "They're getting closer, Estel."<p>

"You may go no further," he called out to the pirates. "You will not enter Gondor."

The Corsair men on the closest ship laughed outright at his words. The captain shouted back, "Who are you to deny us passage?"

Ignoring his question, Aragorn spoke to Legolas much quieter than earlier. "Legolas, fire a warning shot past the bosun's ear."

Legolas readied his bow as instructed, not noticing the dwarf beside him shift the walking ax in his hands.

"Mind your aim," he whispered, knocking the bottom of the bow with the ax handle when Legolas fired.

The arrow lodged itself into the chest of the short stout man next to the captain. Gimli covered his mouth with a mock gasp as Legolas stared down at him in disbelief.

"Nice shot," Elrohir snickered. Then he winced with Haldir reached behind his brother to smack him in the shoulder.

Gimli continued to play the part of the naive dwarf. "That's it. Right. We warned you. Prepare to be boarded."

The captain of the Corsairs looked nonplussed. "Boarded? By you and whose army?"

Later on Aragorn would catch onto the joke, but his intent was dead serious. "This army." Seconds after, the ghostly green wisps would swarm the ships and leave none alive.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** In case you missed the joke at the end, as kids we used to say things like "Oh yeah? Well you and whose army?" in a playground taunt that might/might not have led to a fight. If you were the kid on the receiving end of the question and had a lot of big-kid friends, you could say "Me and this army!" and likely avoid getting your butt kicked out of sheer intimidation. We didn't have iPads and Flappy Bird to occupy ourselves as kids, so we had to be creative. XD Don't say "What about Pokemon?" cause we didn't get that until I was nearly in high school.

Also, I've not stopped writing on Lead Me Home; it's just that with this last course and last month, my 'break' has left me staring at my notes in confusion. That's why this one is updating more frequently. I know where it's going for certain, and the ideas are filling in much more easily,


	20. Chapter 20

Miles away in Gondor, the steward was approaching the brink of a mental meltdown. Before him lay the body of his youngest son, whom he had wished hours before to have been set before the Uruks instead of Boromir. Not that he would admit to that at the present. Instead, he was playing the "woe is me" father figure.

"My line has ended." He spoke emotionlessly, though to those nearby it might have passed as grief.

Pippin approached the lump form of Faramir and touched his brow. His eyes widened as he said aloud, "He's alive!"

Denethor would have none of it, succumbing to his pseudo-grief. He bemoaned, "The House of Stewards has failed!"

Pippin refused to be ignored. "He needs medicine, my lord!"

Once again, the steward ignored the hobbit as he continued to stumble towards the outer walls like a grief-stricken drunkard. "My line has ended!"

"My lord!" Pippin called out again, trying to break through the emotional wall that had been put up to alert the steward of Gondor that his youngest child was still alive.

Any attempts to capture his attention was for naught. Once Denethor reached the walls he was able to see the enormous armies that stand at his gates, something in his mind finally snapped. "Rohan has deserted us," he muttered with wide eyes, scanning the area. Even from his height he could see that parts of the city were in ruin. "Theoden's betrayed me…" He whipped around suddenly and roared to the soldiers, "Abandon your posts! Flee! Flee for your lives!"

The poor soldiers looked around uncertainly, obviously freaked out by their substitute leader's meltdown on top of current events. Luckily for them, Gandalf was taking over the position. He whacked Denethor in the forehead with his staff, then a jab to the stomach, watching the steward crumple to the ground in shock.

"Prepare for battle!" Gandalf ordered.

* * *

><p>"The scouts report Minas Tirith is surrounded," Eomer spoke to his uncle in low tones. "The lower level's in flames. Everywhere, legions of the enemy advance."<p>

Theoden responded with, "Time is against us. Make ready!"

Down the line from the two sat Eowyn and Merry. "Take heart, Merry. It will soon be over." She tried to assure the hobbit, although she wasn't so sure about anything anymore herself. This is what she wanted, right? To be able to go off to battle with the men and fight for her country?

Merry did his best to sound brave in response. "My lady, you are fair and brave and have much to live for, and many who love you. I know it is too late to turn aside. I know there is not much point now in hoping. If I were a knight of Rohan, capable of great deeds- But I'm not. I'm a Hobbit. And I know I can't save Middle-Earth. I just want to help my friends. Frodo. Sam. Pippin. More than anything, I wish I could see them again."

Eowyn smiled at his courage. She knew he was terrified of not knowing what was to come. Hell, she was scared, and she was the one that got them into this mess!

Eomer's voice could be heard from a distance now. "Prepare to move out!"

Theoden's followed. "Make haste. We ride through the night."

Horns somewhere in the ranks were blown, and the disguised duo put their helmets back on to conceal their faces.

"To battle," Eowyn said with more determination in her voice. There would be no more time for nervous jitters. Her brother was right the night before; distractions on the battlefield could be fatal. She had to push any doubts from her mind the best she could.

"To battle," Merry repeated.

Eowyn hoped that he could do the same.

* * *

><p>The Rohirrim reached the hills outside of Pelennor Fields at the light of the following day. When Theoden looked down at the sheer force of the enemy's size, he knew right then that the battle would not be in their favor. A glance from the corner of his eye showed that his warriors were about to realize the same.<p>

"Courage, Merry. Courage for our friends," Eowyn breathed, pulling the hobbit close to her. She wasn't sure about him, but from the good look she got at the number of orcs, all meditation practices she had implemented on the ride over were long gone.

Back at the front of the ranks, Theoden bared his teeth in anger and turned his horse about to meet his captains and organize a strategy. "Éomer, take your éored down the left flank."

"Flank ready."

"Gamling, follow the King's banner down the center. Grimbold, take your company right after you pass the wall. Forth, and fear no darkness!" He rode his horse before the front lines, and shouted out words of encouragement to boost their morale. "Arise, Arise, Riders of Théoden!" His horse had passed by Eowyn, and on instinct she hid her face, not that he could have gotten her out safely if he had noticed.

Theoden continued his speech, "Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!"

The riders readied their spears, and from the distance across the plains, they could see the orcs do the same.

Eowyn leaned in close to Merry. "Whatever happens, stay with me. I'll look after you." She felt him nod, knowing that words were not plausible at the moment.

Theoden drove his horse down the lines, clanking his sword against the lowered spears as he continued to shout. "Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin, and the world's ending! Death!"

"Death!" The Rohirrim shouted.

Eowyn gulped, anxiety creeping up again with a force of adrenaline.

"Death!" The king shouted again.

"Death!"

"Death!"

The adrenaline was into high gear now. Both Merry and Eowyn screamed "Death!" with the Rohirrim.

"Forth Eorlingas!" Theoden roared as the horns sounded, then the pounding of hooves took off as the soldiers of Rohan charged the orcs at breakneck speed.

From a distance, the sound of an orc captain gave orders for his archers to fire. Arrows whizzed through the air, puncturing both the flesh of man and horse, bringing some riders to fall. Some were not fortunate enough to have been killed by the arrows, instead being subjected to having their body's crushed beneath their horses or the hooves of those still standing.

"Death!" Merry yelled, as more arrows fell around them like a storm cloud and the riders dropping like flies.

"Charge!" Theoden shouted. Death may have been imminent, but it wasn't going to slow them down.

* * *

><p>There was no discernible way to tell how much time had passed since Theoden's army of men had entered the battlefield at Pelennor. The men were becoming exhausted, though it was with great endurance that they pressed on, slashing away at the orcs that were not lucky enough to make a retreat back to Mordor.<p>

Eomer was weaving through the mess shouting directions to his men. "Drive them to the river!"

"Make safe the city!" Theoden could be heard shouting.

Then something strange happened. Like a tornado, the eye of the storm had passed over Pelennor Fields. The land was eerily calm and silent as if there hadn't just been a massive killing of orcs and men. And just as the silent eye swept by, the storm was approaching from the other side, ready for the second round. This time, however, it was a large collection of Mumakil braced for battle that shook the ground as they entered the scene, coming straight for the Rohirrim.

Theoden wanted to swear at every creator in recorded lore, but could not find the words to start. "Re-form the line! Re-form the line!" He ordered instead, bringing the riders back into position to charge the Haradrim. "Sound the charge! Take them head-on!" he said with determination.

Gamling blew his horn as Theoden shouted out "Charge!"

In the later years, it would be speculated as to whether the charge against something infinitely larger than oneself would be considered incredibly brave or incredibly foolish. Such matters were of no concern this day. This day, it was a matter of survival, and if that meant taking something like a Mumakil head on, then so be it. The Rohirrim were not cowardice enough to stand back and wait for death.

The standing riders were being tossed by some of the Mumakil tusks, while others were knocked from their horses and crushed beneath the gigantic feet. Archers riding atop the beasts used their vantage point to pick off riders from afar. Eomer steered his horse to stop before one, and with a decent grip on the spear, hurled it into the chest of the driver, killing him instantly. The driver toppled out of the harness, catching the Mumakil in its ear with the bloodied spear. A horrid noise came from the beast, and moving with the direction of pain, it swung into another sideways, bringing it down with itself.

Meanwhile, Eowyn and Merry had been dodging the steps of the crazed beasts, missing death several times.

Eowyn handed Merry the reins, who held them tightly. "Take the reins! Pull him left! Left!" She grabbed a second sword from a passing orc before they rode between a Mumak's legs, slicing the inner sides as they passed to cause it to fall.

Eomer had his bow out, firing at the Mumak nearest him. "Aim for their heads!" He called out to everyone as the Mumak rose up on its hind legs and began to stagger about.

"Bring it down! Bring it down! Bring it down!" Theoden cried.

Nearby, another fell, nearly taking Merry and Eowyn with it. The horse they were atop fell, and the two were sent flying through the air. Eowyn dove out of the path of the horse, rolling across the ground kicking up more dirt. She looked around for her partner, but could not find him. "Merry!"

In her search she saw her uncle fighting a swarm of orcs that had come to surround him. She picked up her battered sword and ran to join Theoden, bringing them down one by one. Theoden took a brief notice of the soldier that had come to his assistance, but could not recall his name in the heat of the battle. There was something oddly familiar about the stance and build of the petite warrior that cut down the enemy, almost like it were a well-rehearsed dance...

Where the now dead Mumak lay, Merry coughed and slowly rose to a sitting position. He couldn't remember being tossed so far from Eowyn or her horse, but he knew he had to find her. Suddenly, a spear from a Haradrim soldier crossed his line of vision, aiming for his vitals. Merry ducked away from the spear, bringing his small sword up across the soldier's chest, cutting deeply. Through the cloud of dust and blood that fogged the area, he could make out the shape of a deformed orc limping towards a soldier of smaller stature that he could only assume was Eowyn. Before he could call out to alert her, she had turned and dodged the orc's attack. What she did next was a low blow by fighting standards, but nothing was fair in war. She swung the sword in her hands into the bad leg of the orc, leaving him howling in pain.

* * *

><p>Ithilwen had woken up that morning in a particularly ill mood, and she couldn't place why. She hadn't spoken to Legolas in a couple of days, the last of which she heard from him was before he went to the Dimholt. It wasn't that, because there had been previous times when they had not spoken for days because there had been no opportunity to rest. For some reason or other, she had rolled out of bed with the temper of a cornered snake, and she didn't like it.<p>

Even her reflection in the bathroom mirror showed her displeasure in the day before it had even begun. She was irritated with her hair, and then her clothes, until finally her rapid hissy fit of getting dressed was filling the room with colorful swears. This was one of those mornings that she despised the very skin she was in, and Ithilwen wanted nothing more than to get away from it. With a muttered "fuck it" she shrugged her shoulders at her half-assed appearance and went downstairs to the kitchen.

Looking for food wasn't making her mood any better either. The pantry, cabinets, and fridge were stocked with newly bought groceries, but nothing looked appealing. In fact the very idea of exerting any effort to fix a pop tart was revolting at that moment.

"Not hungry, Ithilwen?" Morwen asked her daughter as she sat down at the dining room table with a glass of water.

"Not really," she replied dully. Morwen could see she wasn't being truthful. She was about to head out to meet with some potential clients, but set her purse down on the table. It could wait a few minutes; she would still be early.

"This is a first," the older woman commented. "In all of my years of raising you, never have I seen you turn down the offer of food. What has upset you so?"

Fiona had come to stand by Morwen, looking at her sister strangely. "She's not eating?"

"No, I'm not," Ithilwen stated hotly. "I was thinking about going on a diet." A gasp from Fiona made her ask, "What?"

"You don't diet."

"Well now I'm considering it."

"But why? You don't gain weight like a normal person!" Fiona thought about her words. "Is this because of that asshole?"

Ithilwen groaned. "No, it isn't. I've just been thinking that I can stand to lose some weight is all."

Morwen wasn't convinced. "You look fine to me," she said. "What's the real reason? Is it this society?"

Ithilwen didn't respond, instead choosing to look away ashamed. It made sense now to the other two women. By comparison, Ithilwen's form was more curvy than the average woman's that was presented in print advertising. Even being physically fit, her appearance could pass for 'thick', 'slightly chubby', or any other variation of descriptors for females that were not naturally waif-lean. None of the women in the house were of this shape, which always made for interesting outings to shop for clothes.

"Do not let the images of others make you feel down about yourself. You are a beautiful elleth. Look at me," Morwen said with a gesture. "You come by your shape honestly! I'm not discouraged by my looks, and you shouldn't be either."

"Exactly!" Fiona said. "You get your chest and hips naturally! Do you have any idea how many of those women had to get implants to get that figure? Besides," she added with a smirk, "From what I've been told, lots of guys would prefer a girl that has an appetite over one that doesn't eat at all. They'd rather be able to hug you without worrying they'd break you!" She caught Morwen's eye and winked, "Why don't you ask Legolas his thoughts the next time you talk to him?"

"A good idea," Morwen nodded, not paying attention to Ithilwen, who rolled her eyes. "I have an idea as well. This one will improve your mood; why don't you let Fiona take some pictures? You could make a day of it before she leaves for the weekend."

Fiona clapped her hands, catching onto the idea. "I love it! Ithilwen, please?" she begged. "Let me fix you up and put you through a photoshoot!"

Ithilwen looked unsure. "I don't know," she stalled. "Don't you need to get your equipment ready for the flight?"

Her sister would not be deterred. "Only the portable stuff. What I'm keeping here is already set up and ready to go. I'm only taking a few of the smaller digital cameras and stands because I'm paranoid about how they handle bags. So please, please, please?" Ithilwen finally nodded in defeat. "Thank you!" she squealed, "I've already got some ideas that you're gonna love!"

Morwen came around the table to hug Ithilwen, and then Fiona before she collected her purse and headed for the door. "Good girl, you've made Fiona very happy," she laughed. "I want to see these pictures when they're done!"

* * *

><p>"Getting sea-sick there, laddie?" Gimli chuckled at the uneasy look on the elf's face. Legolas had become too quiet as they set sail, and he was hoping the jibe would heighten his spirits.<p>

"No, Gimli. I…just lost in thoughts," he replied. He turned his gaze away from the water to see the twins huddled by Aragorn in discussion.

Haldir had crossed to their side to stand on the dwarf's other side. With a curt nod to the dwarf, he looked at Legolas. "Lady Galadriel's warning?" he asked.

The younger elf nodded in what looked like shame. Gimli was confused, but since it wasn't looking like his friend was going to clarify, he turned to Haldir. "What does that mean?"

The marchwarden waited to see if Legolas would explain. When it was apparent that he chose not to, he said, "The Lady had warned him that the cry of the gulls would waken the sea-longing within him if he were to continue the quest. The Prince has heard the gulls, Master Dwarf. The urge to sail to the Undying Lands is now within his mind."

Gimli looked over to his friend. "Does this mean that you will set sail after the War?"

Legolas shook his head violently. "No!" he blurted out. "I will not. I have no plans to do such a thing anytime soon. I have made too many promises to break, Gimli. There is still much that must be done before I consider that path." He smiled down at his companion. "Though I will be all the more relieved when we reach the shoreline." The furthest that he could get away from this ship, the better, he reasoned.

-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** This was another one of those chapters where there wasn't much I wanted to change, or much to add. I did tweak the reasons for Ithilwen's photoshoot coming up, in hopes to better clarify why it was even written. Everyone always expects Tolkien's elves to be "perfect", but when it's an OC that "perfect" becomes "Mary Sue". Since Ithilwen's grown up in a mortal world, she's used to having imperfections pointed out; whether they really are or not is subjective to the reader. It's not a jab at weight-shaming anyone, but rather to show how anyone can be insecure in their body type. That's why Morwen suggested for Fiona to take Ithilwen's pictures; to show Ithilwen what everyone else sees when she is putting down herself for the dumbest reasons.

Ithilwen's not so much a Mary Sue, or at least she tries not to be by definition. She's got the "perfect" qualities of the elves yes, but she's also got the mindset of a mortal to balance it out. And I'm not so sure I see Tolkien's elves as perfect beings anyway. You know they fart in bed and hold their mate's head under the covers, don't deny it.


	21. Chapter 21

"Rally to me! To me!"

Around him, Theoden could see the riders suddenly show a level of anxiety that made him slowly turn. What happened next could only be described in the king's mind as a "fuck me" moment. The Witch-king of Angmar was astride his fell beast and moving in fast. In the swoop down to the earth, the impact threw the king from his horse, only to be pinned by the steed.

Eowyn wasn't far off, frozen in shock and horror at the scene. She heard the Witch-king command the beast, "Feast on his flesh" and dove into action. Coming to a halt in between her uncle and the monster, she drew her sword high and held her shield ready. "I will kill you if you touch him!"

The Witch-king didn't seem affected by the "man's" words of threat. "Do not come between a Nazgûl and his prey."

The Nazgul went to strike, only to miss and leave its long expanse of neck exposed. Eowyn took the opportunity to drive her weapon through its neck in two strokes, beheading it. The head dropped like a stone to the ground, but the body continued to waver with the Witch-king still sitting on top before it finally fell down. The shieldmaiden watched in fear, knowing that she had pissed the Witch-king off with her actions, thereby drawing the attention to herself. The witch-king stood intimidatingly with what looked like a giant mace head attached to a chained staff. He moved swiftly, swinging the terrifying weapon at her. Eowyn had to react quick, ducking and side-stepping the strikes.

Then she wasn't as lucky. The Witch-king landed a hit to her shield, shattering the wood and leaving her on the ground, crying out and clutching the wounded arm. She had crawled back as far as she could go, bumping into the now-dead horse that had pinned her uncle.

* * *

><p>At the pier, the black ships were just beginning to arrive, much to the frustration of the orcs that were assigned to wait on their arrival. "Late as usual, pirate scum! There's knife-work here that needs doing. Come on, ya sea rats! Get off your ships!" The leader bellowed. He expected to see gangly, dirty pirates amble out of the ships. He didn't expect to see a man, a dwarf, and five elves appear instead.<p>

Gimli was muttering to Legolas as they readied their weapons. "There's plenty for the both of us. May the best Dwarf win!"

The small group began to charge the orcs, who looked prepared for the seemingly unimpressive battle. However, when the appearance of the Dead King's army filtered up from behind them, they began to back up and retreat.

* * *

><p>In Burgess, Ithilwen woke up later than she expected. The clock read that it was after nine, which was unusual for her. The sun normally woke her up before her alarm clock did, and she realized with regret that she forgot to set it the night before. She climbed from the bed to look out the window, only to see that it was a thoroughly cloudy day. Stupid weatherman said that it was supposed to be a small chance of rain. Those gray clouds looked like the bottom could drop out at any minute.<p>

Moving down the steps slowly, Ithilwen headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Not really in the mood for anything in particular, she considered reheating some leftovers from a previous night's dinner. Fiona had heard her open the fridge from the living room, and came running.

"Good! Finally, you're up!"

"Yeah?" Ithilwen looked up from the container of mystery food she held. "I forgot to set my alarm clock last night."

"Thought the sun would be your wake-up call?" Fiona asked. "Anyway, don't spend a lot of time on a big breakfast. We've got a lot of work to do today!"

"What? Why?" the elleth asked suspiciously.

Fiona grinned. "Pictures, baby! Pictures! Besides, it's not like you want to go out in that," gesturing towards the dreary weather outside. She moved back to the doorway. "Don't bother getting dressed; I've got a load of outfits for you to wear. Just bring you and your hairbrush to the studio after you eat!"

As Fiona practically skipped out of the kitchen, Ithilwen groaned, remembering what she agreed to. Still, it would make Fiona happy; she did like taking Ithilwen's pictures, although the girl had a tendency to go over the top with some of her ideas...

Ithilwen sniffed the container of mystery food, only to wrinkle her nose in disgust. Gone bad. Possibly a day or three older than legal. She chucked the contents in the trash bin and ran some water in the container to soak. She selected a bottle of water and a couple snack packs of peanut butter and cheese crackers. It wasn't a great breakfast, but Fiona wanted her to hurry it up.

Her sister would regret that when it came time to apply makeup and Ithilwen would have peanut butter-cracker breath. She grinned evilly.

* * *

><p>The Witch-king had reached Eowyn by now and had lifted her off the ground by her neck. "You fool. No man can kill me! Die. Now."<p>

Suddenly, Merry came up from behind and stabbed the Witch-king in the back of his leg. The blade dissolved into nothing from the dark power emanating from the monster, leaving Merry on the ground clutching his arm in pain. The Witch-king shrieked, falling to his knees and releasing his grasp on Eowyn.

Eowyn took this opportunity to set the record straight. Standing tall and proud, she ripped the helmet off and shook her hair loose. "I am no man!" she stated boldly, before letting out a feminine roar and jabbing the blade of her sword into the Witch-king's mask. Like Merry, the dark power brought her to her knees in agony, but her job was done.

Both watched in surprise as the Witch-king shrieked, the helmet, armor, and everything else crumpled into nothingness.

* * *

><p>Jack wasn't sure why he felt the need to pester the blond cupid in Grecian sandals, but he couldn't help himself. Teasing Esther gave him the kind of satisfaction he got when he hit uppity businessmen with snowballs because they were no-nonsense. Esther had a similar air about her with her own work, but what set her apart was that she allowed herself to have fun.<p>

Sometimes.

Ever since the fallout with her spellwork, the guardian had driven herself into a frenzy with her other work. He had been both thrilled and amazed to learn that she had gotten off easy with Cupid, but her "punishment" had been more self-imposed. As soon as he had walked her back to her office, she had gotten to it, moving around in a rush and completely forgetting he was even there.

Jack, with his subconscious desire to be the center of attention, felt put out by this behavior. Esther was the kind of girl that acknowledged you in a crowded room when it seemed like everyone else ignored you. However, this change in the guardian didn't sit right with Jack, and he wasn't certain it was entirely due to her present predicament. In fact, he had begun to feel this slighted feeling for some time now, only its presence was becoming more noticeable. This feeling bugged him, because usually he could walk away from the unpleasant situation, distract himself for a while, and things would return to normal.

Having been denied once again by the little blond cupid, claiming she was up to her ears in paperwork, Jack had sought out other company in hopes of soothing his battered ego. By chance he had come across Sandman, who had been a willing listener as he scattered his dream sand over Tokyo.

"I don't get it," he sighed, watching the golden sand take the shape of an iconic kitten with a bow. "Esther's never been this closed before. I mean yeah, I've done some things to tick her off, but she's always gotten over it. Is she that mad at me?"

Sandman turned and fixed Jack with a stare that asked, "What did you do?"

"Nothing, I swear!" Jack's hands went up defensively. "I just went up to her office today to ask if she wanted to go see Tooth with me, and she said she was busy with paperwork! She's been like this ever since her flop with her magic, but I thought it would pass by now. Ithilwen told her there was no foul, so I don't know why she's like this."

"Magic training to get stronger?" Sandman signed.

"You think she's using the paperwork as an excuse?"

Sandman shrugged. Even the guardian of dreams didn't understand the complexities of the female mind.

Jack swung his staff around low, making the gold particles scatter haphazardly that passed by. "All I know is what she told me, and that wasn't much." He paused, as if considering his next words. "Does it...does it seem weird that I miss her? I mean I haven't talked to her in days, but it just feels weird to not be able to talk with her like I used to." He knew he was rambling, but he couldn't think of a better way to put what he was feeling into words.

Sandman formed more symbols above his head, including miniature forms of Jack and Esther, hearts, and question marks. Jack wrinkled his nose and shook his head quickly.

"No, it's not like that," he said. "We're only friends. At least, I think we're friends. I've called her Icchy so many times I think she wants to set me on fire."

While Jack continued to rattle on about his teasing of the other guardian, Sandman could only shake his head. Even as pseudo-immortals, they were still incredibly young. 'In fact,' he thought to himself, 'they are very similar in age...' He made a mental note to speak with North when the opportunity arose. There were a few theories he wanted to run across the other old man to see what he made of them.

* * *

><p>Fiona's 'studio' wasn't so much an actual studio as it was a large room that was added onto the house long ago. When she had decided that photography was her passion, Morwen had surprised the girl on her eighteenth birthday with the space, complete with storage for her equipment. It didn't take her long to have the cabinets filled with replacement parts and rolls of film.<p>

Then, when technology moved away from developed film rolls and into digital memory cards, Fiona began to collect odds and ends. She'd frequent flea markets and garage sales on the weekends, finding interesting clothes and uncommon objects for various props. Post-Halloween clearance items were another opportunity to stock up on creme makeup tubes, wigs, and things. Ithilwen first thought that she was becoming a pack-rat until she became the guinea pig of costume modeling. Then, when they began to discover how to make their own cosplay props, the collection grew for both of their benefits; Ithilwen could clear out her room of unneeded stuff, and Fiona could upcycle it for other projects.

"Could you sit a little straighter? You're an elf for Christ's sake!"

Ithilwen was sitting on a barstool off to the side of the room in a plain white tee and jeans, feet curling around the stool rung they rested on. She straightened her back as Fiona had asked, feeling her spine pop from the shift. Fiona had caught onto the cracker-breath attack the elleth had planned, handing her a container of altoids before she started doing her makeup. "Why are we doing this again?"

"To have fun, duh!" Two more quick swipes with the makeup brush, and Fiona set it down on the table beside them, choosing the hairbrush next. She moved around Ithilwen and began to brush her hair back gently. "We haven't really done much together lately-"

"That's not true. The day before yesterday we went to the art store and Radioshack."

"You know what I mean. And that was for work, anyway. I mean that I haven't gotten to take pictures of you in a while. I want more pictures before you and Mom head back to Middle-earth." She set the brush back down and pulled small pieces of hair back with bobbypins.

"You sound like we're leaving in a month!" Ithilwen noted when Fiona came around front to observe her work.

Fiona shrugged. "Well from the sounds of things that Legolas tells you, it might not be much longer. I want something to remember you two by."

"If it makes you feel better, we don't even know how long it will take them to create a portal. He says that Gandalf hasn't had the time to research the magic."

"That's a bummer," Fiona pouted. "For you, I mean. Not being able to meet Legolas right away and all that." When she was satisfied with her work, she pulled Ithilwen up and lead her to the center of the room where her camera was set up on its tripod. "Now stand here and stay natural. Keep talking, though," she told her before running behind the tripod.

Ithilwen shifted her weight to one hip and crossed her arms, tilting her head to the side as she watched her adjust the camera. "I can still see him in my dreams."

"That's not the same! Esther, tell her it's not the same!" Fiona whined. With each little shift, she would press the shutter button. "How are you supposed to hug him or anything if he's in your dreams!" She silently cursed as one of the pins turned loose, letting a piece of hair fall before the elleth's eyes.

Esther sat away from the action, watching on in amusement. The banter these sisters had its moments, that was for certain.

From her stance, Ithilwen looked nothing like the elf she was supposed to be, further accentuated by the puffed cheeks as she attempted to blow the offending strand of hair out of her face. "I can hug Legolas in the dreams," she corrected. "It's happened quite a few times already-"

"WHAT?!" echoed throughout the room, making the elleth's ears ring. "Sorry," Fiona muttered. "What do you mean? He's hugged you?!"

"Why are you making such a big deal about this?" Ithilwen shifted again as Fiona continued to snap pictures. She figured it probably wouldn't be wise to tell her that Legolas had also looked under her skirt when she had acquired his bruises from Helms Deep. Or that he had also pulled her into his lap before that.

"Yes, why is that?" Esther echoed, swapping "sides" on the argument. Fiona feigned a look of betrayal.

"Why aren't you?" Fiona countered. "All I've seen of this guy is that drawing, and he's gorgeous! He's getting handsy and you're all blasé about it!"

Ithilwen lost it then, still thinking of the previous encounters. She doubled over laughing, and the remaining pins that hadn't fallen turned loose when she bent forward, spilling the hair around her shoulders. "Handsy?" she quoted between breaths. "Handsy?! It's just a hug, nothing more!" Oh yes, she was definitely not telling of the other encounters.

Fiona hummed "Sure" as she took pictures. She hadn't meant it to be funny, but she was glad to see that her sister was cheering up. She didn't like the idea of Ithilwen feeling down about her appearance. When Esther came to visit that morning, Fiona had begged the guardian to stay for the day. Having explained the mindset Ithilwen was in, it wasn't hard to get the extra company to help boost the elleth's self-esteem. She wanted her sister to see that she was more than she thought of herself, and Fiona knew just what to do to make that happen. Ithilwen would have to be more awake and loosened up first, but she had it all planned out.

* * *

><p>"15, 16…" Legolas was counting off as he ran across the field.<p>

Gimli's pace was slower, but he was keeping up with the elf. "17…" Aragorn was not far away, taking down several orcs before something caught his attention. In the background he could distinctly hear the dwarf's count rising. "…29…"

From elsewhere on the field, there had apparently been another counting game going on, but it was unable to be determined if it was an expanded competition between said elf, dwarf, and his twin cousins. For all the ranger knew, Elladan and Elrohir could have been shouting numbers to throw either Legolas or Gimli off their counting.

* * *

><p>"Merry!" Eowyn shouted, terrified out of her mind. The deformed orc that she had taken the fools-way-out-shot to had gotten back up and was limping her way. Neither one of them was capable of holding a weapon, much less something to go on the defensive with. They were sitting ducks, and the orc knew it. Her arms couldn't stand to bear her weight, so she began to crawl through the blood, dirt, and rock to put distance between them. She figured that she was a goner unless she could get to a sword; she had sworn to protect Merry, and if that meant putting herself as the orcs' target, then so be it. Eowyn made a reach for a sword about a foot from her, but the blade slipped away. She closed her eyes, waiting for the finishing blow.<p>

It never came.

Instead, the gurgling sound of the orc choking on its own blood reached her ears. She turned to see the blade of a long sword cut through the orc, and the owner of the sword was…Aragorn! They came! She wanted to cry for joy, to know that all hope wasn't entirely gone, but she could not form words to get his attention. The swift sound of an ax cutting into the beast came from Gimli, who rather enjoyed finishing the orc off. The dwarf took off after some more potential kills, leaving Aragorn to shout for the elf.

"Legolas!"

Said elf turned at the sound of his name to see an Oliphaunt charging in his path. Eyes wide, he decided to rush to meet it, swinging onto its tusk like a monkey in a tree. Then it was from the tusk to the leg, and up the hip by the assistance of arrows that were lodged into the hide. At the top of the creature he was met by several Southron warriors that did not look pleased at the extra company. Legolas didn't waste time and began to shoot them down. "33, 34…" Satisfied that he had killed them all, he reached for the rope holding the platform onto the Oliphaunt's back and swung off. Making a quick cut in the rope, he used the platform's falling to pull himself up onto the creature's back. Once there, he hotfooted it up the spine and to the head, stringing three arrows and setting them in its skull, bringing it down. The Oliphaunt took a few more steps before it came down completely, and Legolas was able to slide down the head and trunk, landing safely on the ground before a stunned and very-miffed Gimli.

"That still only counts as one!" was Gimli's only comeback. "Come on, then! Come on!"

Aragorn looked across the battlefield, noticing that most of the enemy was either dead or on its way there. In the distance, a Mumak was overturned by a group of the Dead Army. The remaining supernatural soldiers swarmed the city, killing the remaining Mordor troops. Gimli was still fuming over Legolas' monstrous kill, while Glorfindel, the twins and Haldir were returning to join them.

Meanwhile, Eowyn was still crawling across the ground, this time to her uncle's side. Theoden could feel her presence and opened his eyes. "I know your face…Éowyn."

She smiled tearfully at the moment of déjà vu.

"My eyes darken," he told her grimly.

Eowyn stroked her uncle's brow gently. "No. No. I am going to save you." She couldn't let him go, not after the hell that she went through because of Saruman's influence. She couldn't lose the closest thing she had to a father figure now.

Theoden's voice was growing weaker with each breath. He now knew that it was she who had stepped up to help him, before the arrival of the Witch-king… "You already did. Éowyn, my body is broken. You have to let me go." He paused to take slow breaths. He hated to see her so sad, but there was nothing that could be done, and he knew this. He had accepted this. "I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company, I shall not now feel ashamed." He drew one last labored breath, "Eowyn…" The eyes of the king of Rohan closed one final time. The niece that he left behind wept bitterly over his body, feeling like a failure.

* * *

><p>The dust had begun to settle across the battlefield, and many soldiers were moving about to see if there were any survivors. Eomer and Pippin were amongst the few. Pippin spotted a familiar cloak and reached to pick it up. "Merry-"<p>

"NO!"

All heads in the surrounding area turned to see Eomer shed his helmet and sword as he broke out into a run. His cries of despair got worse as he got closer to the scene of his perished uncle and sister. "No!" he screamed and cried, not caring for anything else in the world. The scene was truly heartbreaking, for a man his size to become so unhinged.

Of the many that turned to the sounds of his screams, Aragorn noticed for the first time who it was that the captain cradled to his chest. A stabbing pain of fear crossed his mind as he rushed to his side. Looking down at the shieldmaiden's arm, he knew at once what had happened and what to do.

* * *

><p>Hours had passed within the walls of the Houses of Healing. Those that could be saved were wedged within any free cot or bed that was available while the healers and their attendants flitted between the patients.<p>

Far off from the rest, Aragorn had secured a more private place for tending to Eowyn's injuries. It had been a nightmare just to get the older brother to set her down, and since then had failed to leave her side. Eomer had ceased his tears, but was watching every move the ranger made with anxiety. He was terrified to see his sister on the battlefield, and the thought that he could have lost her was not something that he would forget anytime soon. Aragorn was speaking in elvish as he bathed the arm that had been struck by the Witch-king's darkness, observing the change of the dark purplish veins disappear to show her fair skin. Both men were able to breathe a sigh of relief as they noticed that she was beginning to breathe normally once more.

In time, she would be able to move about her rooms in the Houses of Healing, though she was required to stay put. After everything that she had been through, she reluctantly agreed, though she wouldn't have been surprised to find guards standing watch outside her door if she looked. Eomer had already told her that when she was well enough that the two were going to have a long discussion about the day's events, which meant that he would play the big brother card and chastise her for acting like a teenager.

To test her footing, Eowyn decided to walk to her windows to look out at the night sky. Her gaze caught the sight of a young man looking back at her some rooms away. She wasn't sure who he was, but the warm smile he presented her with showed that he wanted to be restricted about as much as she did.

* * *

><p>It had been a couple of hours since Fiona had started her 'Project Ithilwen' photo session and Ithilwen was growing more comfortable with the pictures. She had put her trust in her sister and knew that she would deliver with quality work, even though she was against the idea at first. She had gone through a number of wardrobe changes from casual to cosplay to formal and everything in between. Fiona was nothing if not thorough in her hobby.<p>

Esther had remained through it all, often adding in suggestions or ideas while they talked over a number of things. It had done the guardian some good to socialize with the sisters, especially since she still felt guilt over causing the elleth unneeded stress. It also gave her the opportunity to surreptitiously glean elven factoids and pieces of history to aid in her notes. Neither had any suspicion of why she asked such questions; given the enigma that these elves were, it was only natural to be curious.

Still, Ithilwen knew there were limits to questions and demands, and that line had just been crossed.

"Alright, take of your pants."

"Excuse me?!" she sputtered.

"Take 'em off. And put this on instead of that shirt. No bra either." Fiona tossed a larger shirt at the sputtering elleth.

"Yes," Esther laughed at the look of horror on Ithilwen's face. "Set the twins free!"

Ithilwen caught the shirt effortlessly, still trying to figure out Fiona's change in tactics. She unfurled the shirt, which looked oddly familiar... "Isn't this Legolas' tunic?"

"Yeah. I got it off your bed after lunch. Now take off your bra and pants and put that on."

"You want me to wear Legolas' tunic."

"Uh huh," both human and guardian nodded.

"Without my pants."

"Yup." Again, the simultaneous nod. It was kind of disturbing.

"Or my bra."

"Good gods, yes! Why are we discussing it?" Fiona looked fit to be tied with her sister's inability to grasp the obvious

"Tell me why."

"Why _what_?"

"Why am I supposed to wear _this_?" Ithilwen shook the shirt for emphasis.

"We've done cute, glamorous, casual, and scary, but we haven't gotten any sexy pictures." Fiona reasoned.

"Well I don't want to do any sexy pictures."

"Why not?" She whined.

"Why should I?"

"I can think of one reason," Fiona answered. At the elleth's inquiring look, she replied, "For Legolas." It was hell to keep a straight face when she said his name. Esther's eyebrow rose at the mention of the ellon. Had something happened when she was holed up in her office?

Ithilwen scoffed. "How many times do I have to tell you that we're just friends?"

'Guess not,' Esther thought.

"Oh come on!" Fiona had to think quick, or Ithilwen would cut out on her, and she would be damned if that happened. "Girls do pinups for their guys all the time! Okay, well it's usually if they're overseas at war, but it happens!"

"Legolas is not overseas. He's in a whole other world."

"But he is fighting in a war," Esther put in. "And both Delia and Deren have mentioned that pinups are done for more reasons than that. Some women have them taken as a confidence booster."

Silence followed, and both Esther and Fiona knew they had her. "Just do this for me, okay? Think of it like you're doing the pictures for him. Trust me, when you see them you won't regret it."

More silence. Ithilwen knew she was beat. "Fine, you win," she uttered, much to the delight of her sister and friend. 'It's not like he's going to be seeing them, anyway.'

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **I think for right now most 'new' bits may end up being character development of some of the other OCs, since with the war timeline I didn't want to add much to that. But Frodo's getting close to Mount Doom, so we'll be seeing more dialogue from the other characters soon enough. I plan on taking my final in a few days, so review replies will be delayed while I cram, but honestly I'm so ready to get this test over it ain't even funny. If you're still in school when you're reading this, good luck on your tests! If you're already on break, you want to switch places with me? ;)


	22. Chapter 22

"Here you go, Ithilwen." Fiona plopped an envelope down in front of the elleth that was lounging in the gamer's chair doing an area tour of Tomb Raider: Legend. "Your pictures are done, and you don't have to say it. I know I was right. I've gotta go finish packing, so let me know what you think of them before I leave."

Ithilwen pressed pause on the controller, partly anxious about seeing the results and partly frustrated she couldn't find the piece of gold treasure in Tokyo. Before Fiona had come in she had grown bored and abused the quick-play-scene, learning all the different ways to kill Lara. She knew her friend had talent, and she trusted her judgment; she just wasn't sure she could see what her mother and sister did. Neither one of them knew exactly how much Payne's words had hurt her self-esteem, and she didn't wish to open that can of worms, now that she was past caring about the mortal. The envelope flap wasn't glued, merely tucked inside, so all she had to do was run her finger under the tab and wedge it out.

The stack of pictures slid out of the envelope into her waiting lap, and as she started going through them, she noticed that Fiona had organized them by the order in which they were taken. One of Fiona's methods of picture-taking was to abuse the hell out of the shutter, which didn't always lead to the best pictures, but she didn't toss the worst. Instead, she sorted out the blurred shots and combined them into an archive on one sheet of photo paper. Sometimes it wasn't clear what the subject was, but the blurs made for an interesting collage effect.

The elleth was pleased, which surprised herself. She had imagined herself cringing as she flipped through them, but Fiona had made her look amazing. In the pictures she looked happy and enjoying herself...even in the sexy pinup shots that she had been subjected to. Honestly! She wasn't ashamed or a prude, but she couldn't believe her friend had used Legolas as an excuse to take the pictures! They were friends! He wouldn't want to see pictures of her like that! ...Or would he? She stared at the photos in her lap. 'He is male...' She shook her head and snorted, carefully aligning the stack and setting it beside her on the discarded envelope. Ithilwen highly doubted he would.

* * *

><p>In Minas Tirith, a small congregation was gathered in the great hall. Legolas, Eomer, Aragorn, Haldir, Glorfindel, Elladan, and Elrohir were standing around the throne and steward's seat, currently occupied by Gimli, who was smoking his pipe.<p>

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight. The darkness is deepening."Gandalf's words did not sound reassuring to any of the warriors.

Aragorn was quick to reply. "If Sauron had the Ring, we would know it."

"It's only a matter of time." Gandalf still was pessimistic. "He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."

Gimli exhaled a puff of smoke. "Let him stay there. Let him rot! Why should we care?"

Gandalf whipped around to face the dwarf, exasperated. "Because ten thousand Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom." Gimli fell silent, realizing his error. The wizard sighed. "I've sent him to his death."

"No," Aragorn said softly. "There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."

"How?" Gimli asked.

"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate." Gimli choked on his exhale, coughing.

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Eomer wasn't positive that Aragorn's idea would work. They had lucked out at Helms Deep, but many had fallen that day, and their numbers were even smaller and battle-worn now. Even with the collected additional soldiers that had survived and were fit enough from the battle at Pelennor, he had his doubts.

"Not for ourselves." Aragorn knew it was a suicide mission, at best. "But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion." Legolas realized quickly what Aragorn was intending.

Gimli chewed on his pipe, making the odds heard. "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?"

The twins looked to the dwarf and grinned, amused that he was attempting humor in the face of such a dire situation. Haldir frowned, thinking about what he would putting on the line to go off marching to what looked like certain death. He looked to the prince and made eye contact, silently telling him that Ithilwen would need to be informed. Haldir didn't want his daughter to know the specifics, but he couldn't bear the thought of her getting her hopes up of returning if they did not survive long enough to get there. Legolas nodded slightly in understanding. This wasn't a conversation he looked forward to.

Gandalf had pulled Aragorn aside. "Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait."

"Oh, I think he will." They still had possession of the Palantir that had tortured Pippin. He planned to make damn sure that Sauron noticed that the heir of Isildur had returned.

* * *

><p>North sat back in his well-used chair and studied the tinker toys scattered across the desk thoughtfully. Bernard looked uneasily back and forth between his boss and the little golden man who floated just on the other side. He had been about to make his leave, but North had asked him to stay for the conversation. The elf didn't see what use he could have been, given the bizarre gestures that Sandman had been making.<p>

"You think there is something wrong with Jack?" North asked the little man.

Sandman shook his head and began to gesture again. This time Bernard caught more symbols in the golden blur of sand, but it still made little to no sense to him.

"Does this have something to do with Jack's memories then?" Bernard asked, catching a glimpse of what he thought was a scrapbook. When North looked to him, he added, "Bunnymund told me after our last meeting that Jack wasn't acting right. Jack had confided in him that he didn't have some of his memories."

"That is most peculiar," North commented. "When a guardian is reborn, their former lives remain a part of them. But Jack... Jack's circumstances were not natural."

Bernard frowned, recalling the first time he had heard the story. He had long-since been head elf by that time in history, but he was employed under another Claus. Accidental endings with holiday figures was pretty common for him, but that didn't make it any easier to experience. Jack's demise had been that much worse _because_ he was barely an adult. "Hold on," he said, raising a hand to get their attention, "Could it be possible that Jack's suffering post-traumatic stress?"

"Explain."

"Sufferers of PTSD can sometimes suffer memory loss," the elf said. "Something about the day Jack died could be keeping him from recalling certain parts of his life."

"And you believe that Jack needs to remember how he died to gain these memories back?"

Bernard shook his head. "I think that there's something about that day - a regret perhaps - that could be what's adding to the memory loss. He saved his sister from drowning in the lake, but maybe there's more that he left behind that day. They say that you regret the things you didn't do before you died than they things you did. Obviously he doesn't regret saving his sister, so there must be something else."

Sandman waved his hands about, forming a heart-shaped figure of sand.

"Love?" North asked for clarification. "Jack was in love?"

Sandman shrugged. He really didn't know. That guess was just a shot in the dark.

Bernard shrugged as well. "It could be anything," he added. "I think it's just a matter of triggering that regret to the surface for Jack to confront it."

North frowned. "Until we can figure out what Jack regrets, there is nothing we can do." It wasn't the best laid plans, but they had nothing to go on to help their friend. Jack would simply have to work this out himself.

* * *

><p>"You're working late, hun."<p>

"Don't call me 'hun', Deren. It's weird."

The male guardian of Lust was too busy poking around Esther's bookshelves to really take offense at her tone. "You should get out more. Come to the clubs with Delia and me."

"I have a job to do, just like you and Delia."

"Well all work and no play makes you a cranky one," Delia said none-too-gently as she entered the room. "It is well after hours, Esther! Why on earth are you still behind that desk?"

Esther sighed, saving her current work. There wasn't any point in trying to type with these two behind her; they were too persistent. "If you must know, I have an extra project that I'm working on for Cupid."

Delia looked aghast. "This isn't punishment for your magic, is it? Cause in retrospect, you did make a good decision in haste."

If the older woman didn't thrive on drama, Esther might have been more touched by her words. "Actually, it's not. It concerns our resident elves on earth and getting them home."

Both Delia and Deren looked genuinely interested then. "You've found a way?" he asked.

"Well no...but I do have some leads," Esther frowned. "I need to run some small experiments to test my theories before I can say for certain. That's what I was doing when you two came in. I was writing up my proposal for Cupid to approve. I'm not about to make the same mistake again." As she turned to make sure her computer was shutting off, she asked, "Why did you two decide to drop in on me tonight, anyway?"

"Right, that!" Delia looked at the younger guardian seriously. "We wanted to take you out for drinks if you weren't busy-"

"You know I'm always busy-"

"-which is why you need to take breaks from time to time," she finished. "What's cutting out on your research early going to hurt? You still have to wait for Cupid's approval on your proposal."

Esther had been about to refute that comment, but realized Delia was right. "Dammit," she sighed. There was no way she was getting out of this now. "Alright, just let me lock up."

The Lust guardians waited outside her office in better spirits as Esther cleaned up her workspace and turned all the lights off. As she was locking the door, Deren felt inclined to ask "So why is it that our resident elves on earth won't put out?"

"What?" Did she just hear what she thought she heard?

"They won't go the distance," the male guardian pouted. "It's making our work difficult, you know."

Esther had to refrain herself from smacking her colleague. While she had been pouring over notes for weeks, they didn't know half the facts that she did. "It's part of their culture," she said, trying to find a tasteful way of putting it. "They're like swans, Deren. They pick a mate for life."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Well that's disappointing."

"Is it?" Esther asked him. "They love unconditionally and intensely, but these energies are focused on just their love. Infidelity is nonexistent to them, just as casual sex is."

"You've got to be joking." Delia looked scandalized.

"I'm not; it's in my notes, and Morwen even said it herself. To these elves, sex equals marriage because consummation is a bonding of their souls, not just their bodies."

"But what about Bernard?" Deren asked.

"Him I don't know about," Esther shrugged. "What I do know is that he's not a casual hook-up kind of elf. I mean that much is obvious, isn't it?"

As they walked down the hall, Esther couldn't fathom why she associated herself with these two. They took their job very seriously, for some reason they couldn't grasp that not everyone was comfortable with casual intimate relationships. 'Maybe that's why Manny chose me for this job,' she thought. 'I'm more comfortable with the thought of a committed relationship that will last a lifetime over a romp for a night.' Still, these thoughts led into what she could have had and what she ended up with that depressed her. 'Then again, this may be my opportunity to give others the fairy tale endings they deserve.'

* * *

><p>"I'm impressed. We're inside for once!"<p>

Legolas laughed at Ithilwen's joke. "This is the great hall of Minas Tirith. We are in Gondor presently."

Ithilwen strolled around the large room in her bare feet, trying not to let the fabric trip her. "Gondor, huh?" She looked around at the architecture. "I take it you all made it through the scenic route alright?" she asked, referring to the Path of the Dead. "I was getting worried that I hadn't heard from you like I normally do." She teased him, knowing that his path did not give him enough opportunities for a rest that he could reach out to her through their connection.

"It was a tough battle." Legolas told her of the outcome with the Dead King, acquiring the fleet of Corsair ships, and the battle at Pelennor Fields. Ithilwen listened with rapt attention as he talked, feeling the grief of hearing that so many had perished, including the king of Rohan. "The end of the war is near, Ithilwen. I do not know in which favor it will turn."

"Where will you be going next?"

"We will ride with Aragorn to the Black Gates of Mordor. The two hobbits Frodo and Sam are making their way to the inside of the mountain, but Sauron will notice the location of the ring..."

"You are going to your deaths." Ithilwen stated, knowing where this conversation was going. Her voice cracked, against her wishes. She didn't want to let him see her cry.

Legolas felt his heart ache as he looked upon Ithilwen. "Death is not certain."

"Bullshit!" she snorted. "Each battle you've gotten into has progressively gotten worse! If the hobbits are that close to destroying the ring, you know that Sauron will pull out all the stops to keep that from happening!"

He was at a loss for words with her modern phrase, but he had to agree with her. Legolas looked at the small elleth standing before him, trying to control her emotions, but he could feel them. She radiated fear. Legolas pulled her to him, and instinctively she wrapped her arms around his chest in a tight grip, burying her head in his tunic so that he would not see her tears fall.

"I'm scared for you, Legolas! For all of you! I've already lost decades without Ada – the thought of losing both of you terrifies me beyond belief!"

The ache that he was feeling got a lot worse with her words. He couldn't deny that he wasn't anxious for what was to come. "Forgive me, Ithilwen. It was not my wish to upset you." He rubbed her back as she tried to get her emotions under control.

"I would have rather you told me than not, and be left wondering," she said with more control. She had mentally kicked herself for showing her tears in front of him again. Ithilwen loosened her grip enough to look up at him. "What do you think your chances are? Honestly."

Legolas continued to rub her back absentmindedly. "I think...that as long as we can hold Sauron's attention so the ring can be destroyed, we should prevail. We are outnumbered, but if the ring is gone then the cleanup of the darkness will not be as difficult." It was the truth, even if it was worded nicer than the prospects really sounded. "I will be damned if I do not keep my promise to you," he added with more assurance, receiving a small smile in return.

As he looked at the elleth in his arms, he knew he needed to cheer her up, or at the very least distract her. The wheels started turning and he was struck with an idea, but could he do it? Was it right? "Ithilwen, I have a couple requests from you."

"Yes?"

"For starters, do not let the war consume your thoughts. Keep yourself occupied like I know you need to. I could not bear the thought of your sitting and worrying all the time."

Ithilwen nodded. "I can do that, or at least try. You know I'm going to worry. What was your other request?"

Legolas could not hide his grin. "A kiss from a beautiful elleth before I ride to battle."

Out of all the possibilities, that was no where in Ithilwen's mental database of requests she figured that he would ask. All signs of previous distress were gone now, replaced by a faint blush and sputtering in disbelief. She tried to get out of his grasp, but the elf had no intentions of loosening his hold. She was stuck.

"W-what?"

"A kiss," he repeated, still smiling. He had meant to keep a straight face, but her reaction had made it very difficult. "Maidens entangled with warriors would bestow a token of favor to the men riding to battle."

"But- but- I'm not entangled with you!"

"Actually, you are." His grin widened. "You are in my arms. Does that not qualify as entangled?"

Ithilwen's face became more pink. "That's besides the point!"

"You did express concern over my well-being earlier," he continued. "Do I not deserve a favor from a concerned maiden?"

She wanted to open her mouth and supply a witty comeback, but nothing came up of use. He was right. She had nearly broken down just earlier about the prospect of him going to battle. Ithilwen had watched his cheeky grin grow as she had gotten more and more flustered from the blunt request, and suddenly knew how to wipe that smile off his face.

"Alright, Legolas. I will kiss you. For luck," she added with a smirk. For a moment, Ithilwen was smug in that she had caught him off guard; payback for his request making her get flushed. But then he smiled again, and she knew that she would have to make good on her word.

Legolas leaned in as she did. Her heart was beating erratically, and she couldn't figure out why. She had kissed guys before, but somehow this was different. Oddly enough, her stomach felt as if it did a small flip, and a tingle of anticipation went up her spine. They were getting closer, and she could feel his breath-

"_It's hard to stay up _/ _It's been a long, long day _/ _And you got the sandman at the door _/ _But hang on, leave the TV on _/ _And let's do it anyway _/ _It's ok _/ _You can always sleep through work tomorrow, OK? _/ _Hey hey _/ _Tomorrow's just your future yesterday_..."

Ithilwen hit the floor beside her bed with a thump, wildly looking around her for the source of the noise. Her ears turned to the television in her room. It was after midnight, she concluded, noticing that the program was a late-night talk show. She had dozed off earlier than she expected to, but being home alone left little opportunity for conversation. The remote lay on her bed still, and it occurred to her that she must have rolled over on it and turned it back on. She scratched her head in irritation, trying to remember what had happened in her dream before she woke up.

'I almost kissed Legolas,' she realized, feeling her cheeks heat up. 'Holy shit.' She didn't understand why she felt so flustered by the idea, unless it was because they were friends. Ithilwen groaned, banging her head on the side of her mattress. She really hoped he'd forgive her for falling short on her promise.

* * *

><p>In Minas Tirith, Legolas was shaken awake by the elleth's father. "It is time to wake, mellon," the marchwarden spoke. "Did you speak to Ithilwen?"<p>

Legolas didn't feel like he could speak in confirmation, so he nodded. Father or not, being woken up at that moment had irritated the prince. He was so close! Being in his situation, he was not around any elleth, and even fewer women. His request had been in jest, to make her forget about her worries, so he was really caught off guard when she agreed to kiss him. Not that he would have argued.

"I'm sorry?" he looked up at the marchwarden, who was looking at him peculiarly.

"I asked you what my daughter said when you spoke of the impending battle?"

"Oh." For a minute there he thought Haldir was reading his thoughts. Then he realized that he probably wouldn't be breathing if he had. "She is scared," he replied. "She is worried for everyone's safety. I assured her that we would not go into the Halls of Mandos without a fight, and I suggested that she keep herself distracted so that she won't sit and worry herself into a stupor."

Haldir nodded."If she has become anything like my beloved, she would do that." He gave his thanks to the prince before heading off to finish preparations to depart.

Legolas continued to remain where he sat, his mind clouded by what had happened. 'Or rather what didn't,' he thought with some disappointment. Wait, was he disappointed? Should he have been?

"You didn't tell everything, did you?"

He looked up in alarm to see Gimli standing in the doorway, and by his side was Glorfindel. "The marchwarden does not know everything about your dalliances with his only daughter, does he?" the balrog slayer asked.

"I do not know of what...dalliances...you speak of," Legolas moved from his bed to collect his belongings. "We are friends and nothing more."

"And the lass has a sister," Gimli supplied to the other elf. "Her mother took her in. A son as well, from what I hear."

Glorfindel looked surprised. "And how did this news go over?"

"It hasn't," Legolas said. "Because there has been little time to discuss more than we have."

Gimli snorted and shifted his weight. "It's going to be a surprise when he does find out. And I look forward to seeing how many expressions an elf's face can make when he does!"

* * *

><p>All able-bodied men were astride horses leaving the enclosure of Minas Tirith. Aragorn was leading the procession in king's armor. Around him were his closest companions: Gandalf and Pippin, Legolas and Gimli, Eomer and Merry, Glorfindel, Haldir, Elladan, and Elrohir. It was a silent ride for the Host of the West.<p>

Legolas felt the distinct shift of fabric brush against his chest and on instinct, reached up to touch the place where it sat beneath his tunic and jerkin. He wasn't sure how he would pull it off, but he would see her in person once the war was over. Gandalf had offered little words of comfort on anything past the war's days, leaving it up in the air as to how long it would take to get to her. Legolas hated leaving Ithilwen in his dreams upset; he didn't feel right giving her news that was less than hopeful, but she could have gleaned the information from him just by his emotions. 'That could have gone much worse,' he thought. 'Telling Ithilwen was the best of a bad situation.'

The scratchy feeling of the fabric changed his thoughts to another direction. Since he had discovered the small green intimates in his bed back in Edoras, Legolas had kept them on his person. Valar save him if Haldir were to ever find out, but given the additional companions recently, he damned sure wasn't about to leave them laying around. It was a secret addition to his preparations for the battles ahead, and while they wouldn't stop a sword's edge, they were a reminder of what he was fighting for. 'Even if the lace feels bothersome,' Legolas frowned. 'Surely Ithilwen would not wear these garments if...they...were...uncomfortable... Focus you fool! Don't think about such things! Her adar is right beside you!'

Though Haldir remained silent, he couldn't for the life of him understand why the prince was making the faces he was. His expression had gone from neutral to concerned to startled and finally to what he thought was a shameful blush. He recalled briefly of an old gossip about how the elves of the Woodland realm were "less wise and more dangerous" but felt it should be amended. 'I think the gossips should change their words to more expressive and dangerous. I've never seen another elf show so many emotions in a short amount of time!'

* * *

><p>In the Houses of Healing, Eowyn stood in front of a window, looking out at the city. She nursed her bandaged arm with disgust, frustrated that she could not join the others. Gimli had visited with the news of their plan before the departure, and she had desperately wanted to go. Despite her heroics at Pelennor, she didn't feel like she had served her purpose. Eowyn harbored some guilt in that she could not save her uncle, and once Eomer had finished chastising her for her actions, he had convinced her that nothing could have been done.<p>

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Gondorian Faramir approach her side. "The city has fallen silent," she told him. "There is no warmth left in the sun. It grows so cold.."

"It's just the damp of the first spring rain. I do not believe this darkness will endure." He had sought her company when she was well enough to move about the Houses of Healing, and commended her on her valiant efforts in the previous battle. Her demeanor on their first meeting was grim, but each day she looked to be in better spirits. They were lost souls that were misunderstood and underestimated by their kin; it was only natural that they seek comfort from the other person.

Faramir took her delicate hand in his, and Eowyn smiled at him, resting her head against his shoulder.

* * *

><p>"Where are they?" Pippin murmured from behind Gandalf. Whether he meant Sauron's forces or his kin, no one was entirely sure. They had crossed the deserted plains and finally saw the Black Gate on the horizon. The seven horses leading the armies of free men continued on toward the gate of imminent hell.<p>

* * *

><p>Ithilwen was attaching grommets to her corset-cloak the following day. Try as she might, the distraction was not working, even as tedious as it was. Everything felt eerily calm, and that did nothing to soothe her nerves. Just knowing that they were going to the heart of the evil scared her, and not knowing the certainty of the outcome left her shaking. Ithilwen sniffled, trying to fight back tears as she contemplated the possible scenarios. She couldn't let herself get upset; she had to think positive! Her stomach growled, and she got up from her seat on the floor to fix a quick lunch; she had been so busy she hadn't eaten since much earlier that morning. Ithilwen knew that she had to remain strong. If they were sharing bruises and cramps like handshakes now, it could have been possible that he could feel her emotions just as easily, and Ithilwen would never forgive herself if Legolas had become distracted on the battlefield because of her.<p>

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N:** Somehow I feel like there should have been more in this chapter, but I'm braindead at the moment so I might be getting my stories crossed. :P This will likely be the only update before Christmas, as I've got a bit going on and I would like to add working on Lead Me Home to the list. My term may be through, but I've got to upgrade my PC to Win7, and it's going to be _so_ much fun backing up my files. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my break, but at least it's not because of BSODs for once.

The "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" lyrics really don't apply since he retired, which is sad. But I've added more with the Jack and Esther plots, which is probably the newest additions to the chapter. I'm going to try and work on this story along with Lead Me Home, but I'd like to try and get another update to Lead Me Home done before the end of the year. I hope you guys are having a great winter break, and whether you've celebrated your practiced holiday already or have yet to, I hope you enjoy yourselves! Eat good things, stay safe, and have fun!


	23. Chapter 23

The riders had reached the ominous Black Gate, and only those closest to the returning heir of Isildur followed him further. "Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth!" Aragorn called out. "Let justice be done upon him!"

There was a pause, as if the man had shouted out to no one. The pause continued, and if the circumstances were not so serious, the awkwardness might have been humorous. The Black Gate began to open at last to reveal a dark rider atop a likewise dark and armored horse, who ambled up to their party slowly.

The rider was not so much human, save for his posture and form. Everything else was downright grotesque. The face of the rider was obscured by a helmet of sorts, save for the mouth. A mouth that was blackened by dark deeds and poisoned lies cracked the edges. "My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome." The Mouth of Sauron made a toothy grin, further showing that what lay behind the decaying lips was anything but pleasant.

Aragorn's only reply to the greeting was a mocking look.

"Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?" He was cocky, that much was evident.

"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed," Gandalf spoke, drawing the attention of the servant to him. "Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return."

The Mouth of Sauron sneered. "Old Greybeard. I have a token I was bidden to show thee." He pulled from his robes the mithril shirt that Bilbo had given to Frodo so long ago in Rivendell and tossed the garment to Gandalf.

"Frodo," Pippin muttered in disbelief.

"Silence," Gandalf chided to the hobbit.

Merry didn't hear him. "No!"

"Silence!" the wizard repeated more sternly. They had come this far and he would not believe that Frodo had failed, even if there was "proof" sitting in his hands.

The Mouth of Sauron sneered more. "The Halfling was dear to thee, I see. Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would've thought one so small could endure so much pain? And he did, Gandalf. He did." He took great pleasure in rubbing salt in the fresh wounds of the wizard.

Aragorn's horse came forward casually, and the servant's tone took to mocking surprise. "And who is this? Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade."

Had he known those would have been his final words, the Mouth of Sauron might have chosen a more memorable way to go out. Aragorn had quickly unsheathed his sword and sliced the Mouth of Sauron's head off his shoulders. The horse, taking the hint, sped off for safety, not wishing to be the next victim of the angry man, leaving the decapitated body to slide from the saddle and crumple to the ground.

"I guess that concludes negotiations," Gimli stated matter of factly.

"I do not believe it. I will not." Aragorn stated, spinning around to face his companions. He was livid, and the fact that the servant had tried to get under their skin with this deception added fuel to the fire. In his moment of fury, he failed to notice that the Eye shifted its gaze to the North. Those around the Black Gate noticed the swarm of orcs that began to march in their direction. "Pull back! Pull back!" With his orders, they rode back to their forces in haste.

* * *

><p>Fiona hummed a tune as she juggled her camera bags while opening the door. Her two days at the convention were fun, even if science fiction was not her ultimate favorite. She had agreed to meet up with two groups of cosplayers that sought her services out because she went a step further than just posing, and in one group she was commissioned once more to do wedding pictures in a few months time. Every memory card she brought with her had been filled to capacity, and she was looking forward to sitting down and going through them all.<p>

"I'm home!" she called out from the kitchen, only to receive silence.

'That was strange', she thought. Ithilwen's car was still in the garage, and she doubted that the elleth would go out and walk to the store. Her hearing was superb, so she should have heard the greeting. Why didn't she respond?

"Ithilwen?" Fiona set the camera bags down on the table and scoured the house for her friend. Frustrated, she moved to the backyard, finally finding her friend sitting on the back porch. "What are you doing out here?" she asked the woman, puzzled that she didn't get an answer. "Ithilwen?" Fiona moved around to look at Ithilwen, and was alarmed to find how still she was. She was awake, that much was certain, but she looked so...lost. "Ithilwen? What's wrong?"

"Gone."

Confused, she asked. "What's gone?"

"Legolas," Ithilwen said. "He's gone. I can't sense him anymore."

* * *

><p>Back at the front lines of defense, Aragorn paced back an forth on his horse. "Hold your ground! Hold your ground." As he looked at them, he could see fear and uncertainty on every face, even those of his closest friends. He knew that they knew that it was anyone's bet, and try as they might to remain positive, they were still battling nerves. He brought his horse's pace up a notch, moving about the front of his troops so that he could look upon their faces.<p>

"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers." He spoke loudly, to bring the undivided attention to his words of encouragement. "I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day." His voice had risen slightly for emphasis. "An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the Age of Men comes crashing down. But it is not this day. This day we fight!" His voice had risen to a roar at this time, and it would be a lie to deny that a shiver of anticipation ran up the spines of the soldiers. "By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"

The Men drew their swords, feeling a renewal of spirit at their leaders speech. They looked onto the forces of Sauron move out to surround their meager army. Towards the front of the army, Gimli shifted on his feet and sighed. "Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf." After the tales his father had told him about his misadventures with elves, he found the situation baffling in retrospect of the prejudices he had been raised to believe.

Legolas had a comeback, understanding the journey their relationship had taken in the past months. "What about side by side with a friend?"

Gimli looked up at him and said, "Aye. I could do that."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean he's gone?" Fiona watched Ithilwen pace in front of her. She was baffled by this information. "How can he be gone?"<p>

"I mean he's gone," Ithilwen stated again. "I can't feel him." She groaned at her friend's lack of understanding, forgetting that she didn't know all the details that had developed. "Our connection had gotten stronger, Fiona. You know how he got my cramps? Well I got the bruises he got at Helms Deep. It used to be that one of us would feel the other's emotions in times of stress, but recently it's gotten more frequent. At least until now."

Beside Fiona sat Bernard and Toothiana. When Ithilwen had remained stationary after her admission, Fiona had gotten on the phone and made some calls. Her sister was just now starting to get back some of her mannerisms, but her frantic pacing was making her dizzy. She looked to their friends. "Any ideas?"

Bernard shook his head. "I've got nothing. This whole thing is bizarre to me, and I used to deal with Santas falling off of roofs."

"Perhaps this is temporary?" Toothiana suggested, trying to alleviate the elleth's fears. "Legolas did tell you to keep yourself distracted when you last met, right? It could be that he has cut off the link so that you won't experience what he's going through in this battle."

"Tooth's got a point," Fiona agreed. The logic made sense, but to do so without warning only added to Ithilwen's worries. She just hoped he knew what he was doing, for both their sakes.

Ithilwen groaned again, coming to a stop before she wore a ditch into the ground. "I'm gonna worry anyway, and I'm fairly certain that he knows that. Not knowing what is going on makes it so much worse."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the Eye of Sauron had completely focused on Aragorn. "Aragorn," the voice taunted. "Elessar."<p>

Aragorn stood motionless and stared off at the Eye in the distance of the land. His friends around him were puzzled by his demeanor, and even more so when he took a few steps forward. They could not hear the voice calling to him, and thus did not understand why he looked so lost. Aragorn turned slowly to look at the army behind him.

"For Frodo." The words were so softly spoken that only those closest to him would have heard. Then he was off like a flash of lightning, heading straight into the army from hell.

There was a pause, followed by the war cries of Merry and Pippin, who had taken off shortly after Aragorn. It was moments later that the rest of the army had composed themselves, easily catching up to and passing the halflings in their pursuit of the orcs.

* * *

><p>"I'm worried." Morwen looked on from her perch at the living room couch to observe her daughter in the den.<p>

Ithilwen was surrounded by a hoard of children, namely Sophie and Jamie Bennet, along with his friends from school. They had come over to spend time with her daughters and the Guardians for the afternoon. At the moment, they were teaching Toothiana the steps to one of the dances from the new video game Fiona had picked up. It was meant as a distraction, and while the elleth could put up a good poker face in the eyes of the children, her naneth knew better. She was hurting because of this, and there wasn't anything that anyone could do.

The former Head Elf and Guardian of Fun were sitting across from the older woman, following her gaze. Jack had arrived not long ago, and had been brought up to speed on what he missed. "I don't pretend to understand any of this, but which way do you think it'll go?"

"I pray that the Valar will guide them through this battle safely," Morwen replied. "Not only is her new friend out there in the melee, but her adar is as well. They are very strong warriors, but I can't help but worry. I'm worried about her," she sighed. "Her connection is gone, and I can only hope that it is temporary. I do not wish my daughter to fade."

Before either could ask her about fading, she shrugged her shoulders and stood from her seat. "I think that tonight is a pizza night. I have some phone calls to make to parents first, though. Will you both stay? I am sure that Ithilwen would appreciate the company."

* * *

><p>The final battle at the Black Gate was taking a toll on both sides. For every orc that was slain, it seemed as if a man was taken down as well. The incoming Nazgul did nothing to better the odds of man, swooping in to cause an extra wave of damage.<p>

Gandalf was in the middle of a swarm when he saw a Nazgul fly in for the kill, when a moth flew past his line of perception. He strained his ears to pick up the cries of Eagles, one of which attacked the Nazgul that's path was aimed at the wizard.

Pippin shouted out with joy at the arrival. "Eagles! The Eagles are coming!" The Eagles fell into place and went after the Nazgul, removing some stress from the shoulders of the men fighting the orcs.

In another part of the battlefield, Aragorn was going toe to toe with an armored troll. Unable to dodge a swing, he was put into the ground, and felt the heavy foot of the troll against his chest. All around him his men were being decimated from the larger force, and there was nothing that he could do. Legolas was nearby, watching in fear as his friend fell, but despite his shouts and attempts to break free from the swarm around him, he could do nothing. If Aragorn were to fall in battle, all would be for naught. He looked around to find the others trapped in a similar situation.

It seemed hopeless.

They were all going to die.

Time seemed to stand still when Sauron's troops suddenly paused to look back to Mordor. Then they began to flee the field in fear, leaving the resistance to stare in shock at the scene that was unfolding.

The Tower of Barad-dur had begun to crumble and fall, and the flaming Eye of Sauron disappeared. A great explosion blew out from the dying Eye, rocking the land from there to the Black Gate. The structures and land in between crumbled, taking most of the retreating troops with it.

Amidst the silence of the resistance, Merry was the first to shout out, "Frodo! Frodo!"

Just then, the top of Mount Doom erupted in an enormous fiery explosion. For the remaining Fellowship and companions, it was a horrifying sight to behold as they realized that Frodo and Sam were still in the cavern of the mountain.

* * *

><p>At the house, the all of the youngest children had fallen asleep on homemade pallets spread out in the den. Discarded paper plates stained with pizza sauce and leftover cheese were stacked on top of a side table. Morwen had left to make additional phonecalls to the parents to see if the children would need to return home or if they could spend the night. Ithilwen had managed to weave through the tangle of arms and legs to go out on the back porch to stargaze. Fiona, Bernard, Toothiana, Esther, and Jack moved to follow her silently. On the way, she had grabbed an unopened box of pizza to eat.<p>

Outside, the six made themselves comfortable on the porch, popping open the pizza box and sharing the fast food. "Okay, this stuff isn't half bad when it's cold," Bernard said.

"Told you," Ithilwen said with a grin. "Ever since Domino's changed their sauce, it hasn't tasted right to me."

"How did you find out this tasted good cold?" Toothiana asked.

Fiona laughed. "She couldn't wait a minute and a half for the microwave to heat it up."

Jack laughed at the face Ithilwen shot her friend, but his smile vanished when he saw the newcomer standing in the yard. "What are you doing here?"

From beside Jack, Esther hastily took a bite of her pizza to keep her mouth busy. It wasn't that she was starving, but recent events had put her on edge and she wasn't sure she could stay quiet. The nightmares of the moment her mortal life ended had become worse, and she wasn't certain if it was a mental distortion or if they were being planted there. Something had triggered them to start up again, and she wanted answers. 'But now is not the time,' she told herself. 'Ithilwen's problems are what I should focus on. I would likely find a solution to them first, anyway.'

"Is that any way to treat a guest?" The voice replied.

Ithilwen sighed. "Jack, be nice. Pitch is as welcome here as you guys are. Come on up and get some pizza, Pitch. It's not hot, but it's still good." She held the box out for him, smiling when he obeyed her request.

The nightmare king moved off to the side of the porch away from the Guardians. They still hadn't forgiven him for what he did, and he didn't expect them to. It's not like he had the power anymore to make a repeat performance; at best he could do simple nightmares just to keep Sandman on his toes. "How are things?" he asked casually, only to receive a scoff from Jack. "What's the matter Jack? Surprised I can be civil?"

"Actually, yes."

"Please Jack, I don't need a fight right now," Ithilwen pleaded. "And I am as well as can be, considering things, Pitch." At his blank look, she continued. "The connection I have with Legolas has disappeared, and there's a huge battle either about to take place or going on and I don't know anything about anything!" Her words became rushed and she felt the onset of a panic attack forming.

"Breathe," Esther murmured, noticing how the elleth's hands shook.

Jack shifted in his seat, feeling guilty that he had nearly upset Ithilwen, knowing that she was at her breaking point right now. Toothiana, sitting opposite Esther, patted his arm reassuringly. She looked up at Pitch, trying to find a safe topic to settle on. "So, Pitch. Ithilwen's told me that you're getting amusement at the teenager's scary stories floating around."

Pitch grinned. "Yes, I've found that it's been more entertaining to spook the teenagers that sit up in the dark at night looking at these creepypastas on the computer. One of my recent endeavors has been to leave those scribbled notes of the stick man on the window of the brave soul."

Ithilwen snorted, knowing which creepypasta Pitch was referring to. Morwen came out just then to sit by her daughter. "The parents all agreed that it would be best for the children to sleep over tonight, since it's the weekend. You're laughing," she pointed out. "This is a good thing."

"Creepypastas," was all Ithilwen said, offering her mother a slice of pizza.

"Oh yes," Morwen mused, taking the proffered food. "There was one I found enjoyable. A few years ago, a mother and father decided they needed a break, so they wanted to head out for a night on the town. They called their most trusted babysitter. When the babysitter arrived, the two children were already fast asleep in bed, so the babysitter just got to sit around and make sure that everything was okay with the children. Later that night, the babysitter became bored and went to watch TV, but she couldn't watch it downstairs because the cable was not connected. Thus, she called them to ask if it would be possible to watch cable in the parent's bedroom."

Everyone around Morwen was caught up in the story, and she fought hard to fight down the grin she felt. "Of course, the parents said it was acceptable, but the babysitter had one more request...she asked if she could cover up the angel statue outside the bedroom window with a blanket or cloth, at the very least close the blinds, because it made her nervous. The phone line was silent for a moment, and the father who was talking to the babysitter at the time said '...Take the children and get out of the house...we will call the police. We do not have an angel statue.' The police fond all three of the house occupants dead within three minutes of the call. No statue was found."

The occupants of the back porch went silent after Morwen's tale, until Ithilwen shivered from head to toe and shouted "DON'T BLINK! BLINK AND YOU'RE DEAD!"

Fiona shivered as well and said, "That was not cool, Mom!"

Morwen laughed. "It never fails! That episode has been the only one to creep Ithilwen out."

Pitch looked smug. "Do you mind if I use that one?"

The older elleth nodded, looking at Ithilwen. "How do you feel now?"

"Like I might not sleep for a while!" Ithilwen half-joked. "But I do feel a little better," she added, looking around at the group. "I really appreciate all of you being here, and I apologize for my manner; I know I haven't been myself."

Jack shrugged. "You're upset. We get that. Just think positive and do like Morwen does and pray to the Valet that it will all work out."

Ithilwen laughed as her mother groaned and put her head in her hands. "It's Valar," she corrected.

* * *

><p>The small gathering outside on the porch continued to talk long into the night, but Esther had excused herself to make a quick visit back to her office. She decided to check in on the children before she left, as a favor to Morwen. As she stepped into the den silently, she noted with satisfaction that all of the young ones were sound asleep. However, something was amiss in the room, and upon a closer look, it seemed that Cupcake was having a bad dream.<p>

There was no dark sand swirling above her head to indicate that it was Pitch's work, so the dream-demons had to have come from within. Esther had crouched down next to the girls' pallet of blankets and observed her with concern. The normally-strong girl looked so fragile as her head jerked slightly, her mouth twisted in a small grimace. Whatever was causing her to have ill dreams was not strong enough to be considered a nightmare, but it was enough to give her a fitful sleep.

'Jack once told me that Cupcake has a reputation for being a stronghold,' the guardian reflected. 'Is the dream about her self-confidence crumbling? Does she fear rejection because of her persona?' Esther frowned when Cupcake made a small noise as she tossed about. She lightly ran her fingertips over the child's brow in a soothing gesture, not enough to wake her, but an attempt to calm her fears. "You are my sunshine...my only sunshine...you make me happy...when the skies are gray...you'll never know dear...how much I love you...please don't take my sunshine away..."

What Esther didn't know was that she had been followed. From the doorway to the den Jack watched unannounced as his friend sang the lullaby to the young girl. Esther had moved from her crouched position beside Cupcake to sitting when she began to sing, and she had been so engrossed in making sure the bad dreams were dispelled that she never noticed his arrival. Jack took it as a blessing, using this time to study the other guardian. There was something...familiar about her, but he couldn't place it. Seeing Esther tend to Cupcake as she had further set off alarms in his head that something was off. Not having his memories only made things more frustrating, because he felt like he had known her for far longer than he "knew" he did.

Esther heard a light scraping of something nearby, and looked around in bewilderment for the noise, only to discover that Jack had been present. "How long have you been there?" she whispered. Standing carefully, she maneuvered her way through the den to reach his side.

"Not long," he replied in the same tone. "I thought you had to get back to the office."

"Morwen asked me to check on the children," she replied, moving towards the front door. "I couldn't let the girl's bad dreams progress, could I?" Esther hated how her tone took on a defensive stance, as if she were daring him to make light of the situation.

"Of course not," he agreed. "But I gotta say I'm impressed. I didn't know you could sing."

They moved out onto the front porch and down the driveway. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me," she replied softly.

"Then enlighten me. I'm curious."

'You should already know most of these things.' Esther exhaled through her nose, suddenly feeling like she had to confess. It wasn't like he remembered all of his past, but she could recall hers. All too well. "When I was still human, I used to take care of the smaller children in my village," she said vaguely. "Often they would be consumed with nightmares, and I sang to them to ease their minds. I still do it when I'm out in public. If there's a crying baby that's inconsolable, I'll sing to them. Their parents can't see me, so when the baby calms itself they believe it's their logic that worked."

"You must have had a lot of practice for your own kids then," Jack said. Coming to a stop, he blurted out, "Or did you- I mean did you get a chance to- ?"

Esther's steps halted a few feet in front of him. "I had a baby once, Jack," she told him, not turning to face him. She couldn't. "A son named Joshua. I was eighteen when I gave birth, and died before his first birthday."

Jack felt his jaw go slack at this piece of news. "I'm sorry." It was all he could think of to say, aside from asking what happened, but that question was rather tactless.

"I've made peace with it, Jack." Not entirely, but she couldn't change the past. When he came to stand before her, his face looked questioning, but he wouldn't let the words leave his lips. "I died from heartbreak," she explained, watching as his expression fell further. "The one I was betrothed to was lost to me in a fatal accident, and I was given to another. My husband could not replace the one I was meant for, but I fulfilled my duties as a wife and carried on the bloodline. My heart, however, was unable to keep me going from day to day."

"You...Esther you're not the kind of girl I would take for being submissive," Jack said. This girl that Esther described sounded so different from the girl he was looking at. He found it hard to believe that they were the same! "I may be terrible about some things, but even I know that a wife has more than a 'duty' to give children!"

Esther smiled halfheartedly at him. "Times were different then, Jack. We didn't know how long we would live, and we needed able-bodies to work. I thought you would remember that much, seeing as you said you once lived in a small village as well."

Running a hand through his white hair, Jack sighed. "I don't remember everything about my past, Esther," he admitted. "There's still black spots in my mind that I can't remove, and I don't know what to do."

"They will come back eventually," she assured him, as well as herself. 'At least, I hope they will.' Esther reached over and took Jack's free hand in hers, giving it a light squeeze, relishing in the contact. "I'll be back in the morning after I've spoken to Cupid. I have some paperwork I need to give him personally." She had moved further away from him, pausing to say, "And Jack - whatever's keeping you from remembering - it can be conquered. You just need to stay positive." Then, she was gone, disappearing behind a plume of white and gold fog.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**A/N: **I hope everyone's having a good holiday break! My Christmas was very comfortable and sunny, but I got spoiled cause as I'm typing this it's about 28 degrees Fahrenheit for the morning low. The additions to this chapter were pretty much lumped at the end with Esther's background, which I had _so_ much fun writing! I almost messed up and spilled all the beans in this little section, but it will be so much better spread out like I've got planned. A neat fact about "You Are My Sunshine" is that it's one of Louisiana's state songs. My mom also used to sing it to me when I was little, but I'm getting off topic. ;) For the fact-checkers, the origins of the song are dated far later than Esther's mortal time, but given her penchant for soothing children it's highly likely that she picked it up over the years.


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